ELECTION VICTORIES SIGNAL POT-POLICY REFORM

However anyone feels about the results of the presidential race, Nov.
2 was a banner day for marijuana policy reform: nationwide, 17 of 20
initiatives won, including a huge win for medical marijuana in the
state of Montana. Less noticed by the national media were the results
from key legislative contests that should scare the daylights out of
politicians who oppose commonsense reforms.

The bottom line: Even "social conservative" voters are ready to make
substantial changes in our marijuana laws. California, which has led
the nation in establishing sensible marijuana policies, must continue
to show the way.

Montanans made their state the 10th to pass a law allowing medical
marijuana, by a whopping 62 percent to 38 percent. Not only did this
continue the unbroken winning streak for initiatives allowing medical
use of marijuana, it was the biggest margin of victory in any
first-time vote on a statewide medical-marijuana measure anywhere.

Indeed, many voters who supported Montana's ban on same-sex marriage
(which passed with 67 percent of the vote) also supported protecting
medical-marijuana patients. Clearly, a lot of conservative voters
believe it is wrong to send patients to jail for using medical marijuana.

In Alaska, although an initiative to replace marijuana prohibition
with a system of regulation failed, the 43 percent support that
measure received was the highest vote percentage ever recorded for a
statewide marijuana regulation or "legalization" initiative. There
have been only four other such initiatives in the history of the
country -- in Alaska, California, Nevada and Oregon -- and the
previous record-holder was Alaska's 59 percent to 41 percent loss in
2000. None of the others even broke 40 percent.

In Oakland, voters put the city on record in support of taxation and
regulation of marijuana and made enforcement of laws against
possession of small amounts of marijuana the lowest priority for local
police, by an overwhelming 65 percent to 35 percent. Around the
country, 17 local marijuana-reform initiatives appeared on city or
legislative district ballots, and 16 passed. These included a
medical-marijuana proposal in Ann Arbor, Mich., and two measures in
Columbia, Mo.: One to permit medical use and another to end the threat
of arrest and jail for any misdemeanor marijuana possession charge.

All racked up overwhelming margins, with the Ann Arbor measure passing
by 3 to 1.

Perhaps the most telling results of all came from Vermont, where
medical-marijuana advocates ousted three openly hostile state
representatives and protected all three supportive incumbents who were
in tight races. The opponents had nearly blocked passage of Vermont's
medical-marijuana law last spring and led efforts to weaken it. Their
defeat flipped the Vermont House of Representatives from Republican to
Democratic control, sending a strong message to politicians in Vermont
and elsewhere that opposing medical-marijuana legislation is bad for
their political health.

Of course, there were disappointments. Besides the Alaska loss, Oregon
voters defeated an initiative to strengthen and expand the state's
existing medical-marijuana law by 58 percent to 42 percent. White
House Drug Czar John Walters visited the state to campaign against the
initiative, calling it a "fraud." His scare tactics undoubtedly
contributed to the initiative's defeat.

Nevertheless, Nov. 2 was a good day for anyone who supports marijuana
laws based on reason, science and compassion. We hope President Bush
is paying close attention to the numerous victories -- especially in
Montana, where Bush won 59 percent of the vote but medical marijuana
won 62 percent.

The president's strongest supporters also support protecting medical-
marijuana patients, and they don't want the federal government telling
their doctors how to practice medicine. It's time for the president
finally to keep his 2000 campaign pledge to let states decide the
medical-marijuana issue "as they so choose," without fear of federal
agents arresting the seriously ill.

Politicians nationwide should finally realize that the public is ready
for a serious re-examination of marijuana laws that are too often
based on ignorance and superstition. California voters and elected
officials can help. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, a medical-marijuana
supporter, should use his considerable clout within the GOP to tell
Bush administration officials to keep their hands -- and handcuffs --
off California patients. The state's congressional delegation --
particularly re-elected Sen. Barbara Boxer, who's been missing in
action on this issue -- should push to stop federal attacks on the
sick and to bring sanity to federal marijuana laws.

If they don't, voters should follow Vermont's lead and send them
packing.