Proposal 1

VOTERS PASS PROPOSAL 1, SUPPORT LETTING SEVERELY ILL GROW OWN POT

Michigan voters favored sanctioning the use of medical marijuana to
treat debilitating illness Tuesday, apparently rejecting arguments
that doing so would increase crime and juvenile drug use. Advertisement

The marijuana measure, Proposal 1, led 63% to 37%, with 87% precincts
tallied early this morning. The vote was 2,566,783 in favor to
1,526,477 against.

When it goes into effect -- 10 days after the vote is certified later
this month -- patients suffering from cancer, glaucoma, HIV/AIDS and
other conditions can be authorized to cultivate, possess and use
marijuana without fear of prosecution under state law.

Michigan becomes the 13th state to approve medical marijuana, meaning
that one in four Americans will live in a place where the use of the
herb for medical purposes will be legal, according to advocates for
legalization.

Bruce Mirken, communications director at the Marijuana Policy Project
in Washington, D.C., said Tuesday evening he was optimistic about the
prospects for Proposal 1 but not quite ready to declare victory.

Bill Schuette, a Michigan Court of Appeals judge who was cochairman
of the anti-Proposal 1 campaign, said, "I think we waged a good
fight. I think we had a good argument. It just looks like we came up short."

MPP, which advocates for marijuana law reform around the country, was
the primary backer of the initiative, spending $1.5 million in
Michigan to collect petition signatures and put the issue before
voters, then another $227,000 in the final days of the campaign to
counter a late-starting opposition campaign.

The initiative was opposed by law enforcement and medical
organizations that claimed medical marijuana in other states,
especially California, led to widespread abuse, criminal drug
trafficking and easy access for young people.

The coalition formed just two months ago and raised only $125,000 to
spread its message, producing a single TV commercial that aired in
the campaign's closing days.

"The opposing argument was so blatantly dishonest, we hoped voters
would see through it. And it appears they did," Mirken said.

Patients would be limited to growing 12 marijuana plants and
possessing 2.5 ounces at a time.