ADDITIONAL SIGNATURES FOR MARIJUANA PROPOSAL DUE TODAY

LITTLE ROCK - Supporters of a proposed ballot measure that would
legalize marijuana for medical use said they were confident Tuesday
that enough additional signatures had been gathered to get their
proposal on the Nov. 2 ballot.

The deadline to turn them in is 5 p.m. today.

"Given that there was only a month to collect the kind of signatures
we needed ... I'm pleased with where we're at," said former state Sen.
John Riggs, who has been helping in the campaign.

Last month the measure fell about 33,500 short of the 64,465
signatures needed, and supporters were given another 30 days to gather
the additional signatures.

Riggs said he expects about 46,600 new signatures to be turned
in.

Under the proposal, a doctor would have to sign off on the drug's use.
Eligible patients would be those with debilitating medical conditions
such as cancer, glaucoma, HIV/AIDS or another chronic or debilitating
disease that causes severe pain.

Riggs said the proposal would not open the door for legalization of
marijuana in the state, as some critics have alleged.

He said legalization of marijuana is a separate issue. Under the
proposed initiated act, the state Health Department would issue an
identification card to patients who would be allowed to possess and
use marijuana without being arrested or prosecuted for it.

The patient or their "marijuana provider" would be allowed to possess,
grow and transport marijuana legally, but not more than six plants or
one ounce of usable marijuana per person. A patient would be allowed
one marijuana provider, and the provider could have only one patient
at a time.

Riggs, who was unsuccessful in getting a similar measure approved by
the Legislature a few years ago, said people from all walks of life
have been signing the petition.

"They're not all crazy liberals like myself," he joked. "Many are
clean-cut business folks."

Denele Campbell, executive director of the Alliance for Medical
Marijuana, the group advocating for the proposed initiated act, could
not be reached for comment Tuesday.

The Families First Foundation and the American Family Association
Arkansas announced a grassroots effort to oppose the proposal if it
makes it on the Nov. 2 ballot.

A proposed constitutional act that would define marriage as between a
man and a woman has already been certified for the ballot by the
secretary of state's office.

Three legislatively approved proposals are already on the ballot. They
are:

- -Proposed constitutional amendment 1, which would allow House members
to serve six two-year terms and allow state senators to serve three
four-year terms.

- -Proposed constitutional amendment 2, which would allow the General
Assembly to approve bonds to finance major industrial projects that
would employ 500 people or more.

- -Referred Question 1, which would increase the minimum school district
maintenance and operations millage rate from 25 mills to 28 mills for
property taxes. That measure was approved by the legislature during
the special session on education earlier this year.