POTTED PLANS

Maybe it's the recent success of the Red Sox that's giving Steve Epstein an
inflated sense of confidence. Or maybe it's because every time he's placed
a question on the ballot asking legislators to reconsider Massachusetts'
marijuana laws, voters have overwhelmingly supported it.

Either way, Epstein is feeling pretty confident heading into Election Day
this Tuesday.

"We know we're going to win," says Epstein, the Georgetown attorney and
marijuana advocate whose non-binding proposal to decriminalize marijuana
will appear on ballots in the Second Essex and 3rd Essex and Middlesex
Senate districts ("Waiting to inhale," Sunday, Aug. 8) "Based on past
experience, I'm quite confident. It will vary from precinct to precinct and
ward to ward. But I'm pretty confident that when all is said and done, more
than 50 percent of the ballots will be marked 'yes.'"

While Epstein may have reason to be confident based on how the voters have
historically reacted, he admits he is less encouraged by early indications
he's gotten from North Shore legislators.

Shortly before Labor Day, Epstein mailed questionnaires to each legislator
in the voting districts to try to gauge where they stand on the marijuana
issue. Only two lawmakers responded to the questionnaire, and one of them
responded 'no' to every issue.

"Sharon Randall of Marblehead, the Republican candidate for the 8th Essex
Representative District, like Nancy Reagan, could only say 'No!'," reports
Epstein, adding that John F. McCarthy, Jr., the Republican candidate for
the 12th Essex Representative District, was "more thoughtful."

"A few others said they would think about responding," he quips.

Still, Epstein says he will continue to fight for the issue regardless of
next week's outcome. Even though Beacon Hill may not be ready to listen, he
says it's time to stir the pot.

"I'd rather have the Legislature write something that we can live with and
that reform advocates can live with," he says. "This is what legislators
are supposed to do. They're supposed to look at the will of the people. To
me it's a no-brainer."