POT LEGALIZATION BACKERS FUND QUESTION 5

AUGUSTA -- A New York group that wants to end marijuana prohibition is
the only major contributor to Question 5, which seeks to make changes
to Maine's medical marijuana law.

The Drug Policy Alliance of New York has contributed $30,000 to Maine
Citizens for Patients Rights, a Lewiston-based political action
committee that supports passage of Question 5 on the Nov. 3 ballot.

The citizen initiative seeks to add to the number of conditions for
which physicians can recommend the use of medical marijuana, and would
allow the creation of nonprofit dispensaries to serve as distribution
centers.

Maine voters approved the use of medical marijuana in
1999.

Campaign finance reports released this week show the policy alliance
contributed $10,000 in the most recent reporting period. Most of the
money spent so far has been for expenses incurred by Jonathan Leavitt,
who is director of the Maine Marijuana Policy Initiative.

The campaign has spent $1,500 on radio advertisements and no money on
television through Sept. 30, the end of the latest report filing
period. The campaign still has nearly $20,000 in cash.

Leavitt said he's comfortable the campaign will have what it needs to
get out the vote in favor of Question 5. With some cash on hand, he
said, they will be able to purchase television ads if needed.

"We feel like we've done really well with what we've got," he
said.

Leavitt said the Drug Policy Alliance is one of three groups
nationwide that works on medical marijuana issues. Among the goals of
the group is to "eliminate criminal penalties for marijuana, except
those involving distribution of drugs to children" and to "make
marijuana legally accessible for medical purposes," according to its
Web site.

No opposition groups have registered with the state ethics commission
to raise or spend money on the campaign.