STATE HAS VOICED ITS OPINION ON MARIJUANA

Only a week has passed and already there are rumblings about another
vote on medicinal marijuana in 2012.

Last week, South Dakotans overwhelmingly voted against legalizing
medicinal marijuana, with 63 percent of voters saying they do not want
it in our state. This comes after another medicinal marijuana issue
was voted down by 53 percent of South Dakota voters in 2006.

So after two votes in four years, we'll have to go through this same
issue again in 2012?

It's frustrating.

Initiated Measure 13 would have allowed people with certain health
problems to grow, possess and consume marijuana. To us, it was too
bohemian; we were told by doctors that federally approved medicines
already exist to alleviate pain for these patients, yet this ballot
measure would have allowed patients to grow their own "medicine" and
consume it at their leisure.

South Dakota's top medical and law enforcement officials were greatly
against Initiated Measure 13. That was enough to convince us we were,
too. South Dakota voters backed it up and the measure was defeated.

Done? Evidently not.

Emmett Reistroffer, coordinator for the group that backed Initiated
Measure 13, last week told the Sioux Falls Argus Leader that he will
work with the state attorney general and lawmakers to understand their
concerns and then bring the issue back in 2012.

We hope those officials realize the people have spoken. We also hope
they have heard what the people had to say.

The state has voted on this issue twice and we figure that's enough.