MARIJUANA ORDINANCE DEFENDED

The president of the MU chapter of the National Organization for the Reform
of Marijuana Laws, a lobbying group that represents people who oppose
marijuana prohibition, addressed the Columbia City Council Monday night,
defending a marijuana ordinance voters passed in November.

"It's time for someone to send the right message to children and offer
something other than mandatory minimums and more tax dollars wasted," MU
NORML President Bailey Hirschburg told the City Council on Monday night.
"Proposition 2 did just that."

Hirschburg's address was a response to the Columbia Police Officers
Association's attempt to have the marijuana-related ordinance repealed. The
CPOA is trying to collect 2,900 signatures for a summertime ballot to
repeal the ordinance.

The smart sentencing ordinance, which was passed in November by 61 percent
of voters, makes misdemeanor possession of marijuana punishable by a $250
fine instead of a $1,000 fine and possible jail time. The ordinance also
refers cases to municipal court instead of state court.

Columbia police officers have expressed reservations about the ordinance.

In a February letter to city officials, CPOA President Sterling Infield
asked for help "to squash this tainted ordinance" and linked marijuana to
the fatal shooting of Columbia police officer Molly Bowden in January.
Police found marijuana in the vehicle and home of Bowden's shooter,
Columbia resident Richard Evans, who also had several misdemeanor marijuana
convictions.

Columbia Police Chief Randy Boehm said he was concerned about the effects
of the ordinance. Under the old law, repeat offenders could be referred to
state court. Under the new ordinance, neither first-time nor repeat
offenders can have their cases referred to the state court.

"My main concern is we basically treat a first-time offender the same as a
fifth-time offender," Boehm said.

Hirschburg responded to accusations that the ordinance eased restrictions
on marijuana use by minors and drug dealers by noting that the bill
explicitly refers to adults.

"The purpose of this bill is that people shouldn't use marijuana, but they
shouldn't lose their job or education because of it," Hirschburg said.

Although Hirschburg said he disagreed with the CPOA's attempt to repeal the
ordinance, he praised the law officers' enforcement of the ordinance.

"From Nov. 3 on, our police, our prosecutors and this council have
respected the voters' decision," he said.

CPOA is not targeting a medical marijuana ordinance, which also passed in
November, but Boehm said he has reservations about that ordinance.

"The definition of medical purpose and medical use is very broad," Boehm said.

Hirschburg is not alone in his concern about the CPOA's attempts to have
the bill repealed.

Amanda Broz, a graduate student and former president of the MU chapter of
NORML, said she is concerned about citizens possibly being pressured into
signing the CPOA's petition because plain-clothes police officers are
circulating the petition.

"I feel as though people may be intimidated into signing the petition,"
Broz said.