MIAMI BEACH LIKELY TO VOTE ON MARIJUANA DECRIMINALIZATION

Voters in Miami Beach could make it the first city in Florida to
decriminalize marijuana possession after campaigners announced Tuesday
they had turned in more than double the number of voter signatures
needed for their initiative to make the ballot. They needed 4,300
signatures and turned in more than 9,000.

The initiative is sponsored by the Campaign for Sensible Marijuana
Policies in Florida. Under the initiative, people caught in possession
of up to 20 grams of pot would face no more than a $100 fine. Under
Florida state law, possession of up to 20 grams is a misdemeanor
punishable by up to a year in jail.

The group turned in the signatures at Miami Beach City Hall Wednesday
at 4:20pm. Then they had a rally.

"It's a great day for the the marijuana legalization movement in
Florida," the group's chairman, Ford Banister, said. "For the first
time, Florida voters will soon decide a marijuana related question."

"Our staff and volunteer canvassers have worked hard to gather the
petitions over the last thirteen months. We have been involved in the
community and gotten to know it very well. Based on the overwhelmingly
positive response of Miami Beach residents to the petition drive, we
are confident that the voters will approve the charter amendment by a
large margin," said Eric Stevens, CSMP Miami Beach Campaign Director
who managed the canvassing effort.

The group will ask the Miami City Council to vote for a resolution
supporting the initiative, which would amend the city's charter.

"It is now well established that decriminalization has had virtually
no effect either on marijuana use or on related attitudes and beliefs
about marijuana use among American young people. Moreover, marijuana
is, without question, much safer than alcohol. Why are we driving
people to drink by forcing them to choose a much more harmful
intoxicant?" asked Banister.

It looks like Miami Beach voters will have the chance to vote for
decriminalization, but those voter signatures need to be verified.
Still, with more than double the number needed to qualify, the odds
are good this will make the ballot.