53% IN MENDOCINO COUNTY WANT POT LAW CHANGED

Poll Finds More People Worried About Drugs Than Jobs, Growth

A poll of Mendocino County voters shows a majority favors repeal of
Measure G, a landmark marijuana initiative that was the first in the
nation to decriminalize pot use.

Among the 603 registered county voters polled, 53 percent favored
repeal, 35 percent opposed it and 12 percent were unsure.

Poll results also ranked concerns about illicit drugs above job,
growth, immigration and environmental issues.

The findings reflect what political and community leaders view as a
"sea change" among county residents, who for 30 years seemingly
tolerated "mom-and-pop" marijuana cultivation. A backlash has emerged
in the face of the county's growing national reputation as a haven for
marijuana growers and large-scale commercial growing operations.

"There's been a huge shift," county Supervisor John Pinches said this
week.

Pinches and three board colleagues voted Tuesday to put the issue of
whether Measure G should be repealed on the June 3 primary ballot, a
move advocated by a countywide citizens group. Board members were
presented with copies of the pot poll results before their vote.

San Francisco pollster Kevin Brown said Thursday that the poll's
margin of error was plus or minus 3.9 percent.

"The poll has a 95 percent confidence rating," Brown
said.

Brown works for Dresner, Wickers & Associates, an international
political consulting firm whose client list includes Republican
presidential candidate Mike Huckabee and Russian President Vladimir
Putin.

The Dresner firm was hired by Ukiah businessman Ross Liberty and other
organizers of a local drive to repeal the county measure. Measure G
garnered national attention in 2000 when it was overwhelmingly passed
with a 58-percent majority.

Since then, Measure G has been blamed for the county's soaring
marijuana production and for contributing to crime. Critics contend
Measure G also opened the door for local liberal law enforcement
policies surrounding the proliferation of pot cultivation under the
guise of medical marijuana.

Medical marijuana advocate Pebbles Trippet said Thursday she fears the
rights of legitimate users of marijuana for medical reasons risk being
trampled in a rush to crack down on commercial marijuana-growing operations.

"There's a huge difference, and that's getting lost in the debate,"
Trippet said.

Measure G repeal advocate Liberty said Thursday he believes the poll
results indicate a rising tide of public opposition to Measure G and
marijuana cultivation in the county.

Liberty said he hopes the June election will provide a margin of
victory so significant that "local politicians will know that voters
no longer feel marijuana cultivation is benign."