GROUPS CALL FOR VOTE ON POT LAWS

Several Columbia groups are joining forces to try to change local
marijuana laws.

Headed by Columbia Alliance for Patients and Education, these groups
are circulating two petitions in the city. One petition favors
legalizing medicinal marijuana, and the other proposes changes to
sentencing laws for possession of marijuana.

One of the groups assisting CAPE is MU NORML, a chapter of the
National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws.

"We have separated the issues of medical marijuana and smart
sentencing this year so that people can clearly voice their opinion by
voting on each issue separately," MU NORML President Amanda Broz said.

Smart sentencing, as the petition calls it, would change the current
law and make possession of marijuana a municipal violation rather than
a state crime.

Other groups involved in the petitions are MU Students for Sensible
Drug Policy and MU American Civil Liberties Union.

In 2003, Columbians voted down Proposition 1, which combined these
initiatives, 55 percent to 45 percent.

Although the proposition failed, the Columbia Police Department
changed its policy shortly after the election. First time offenders
with a small amount of marijuana could be tried in municipal court
instead of state courts.

"We were planning on changing our laws before Proposition 1, but we
found inconsistencies," Columbia Police Chief Randy Boehm said. "The
law needed to be further defined, not changed."

The groups' initiative of creating a smart sentencing petition calls
for adults arrested for a misdemeanor amount of marijuana - 35 grams
or less - to be fined or given community service hours instead of jail
time. According to the petition, the maximum fine would be $250, and
all trials would be referred to the Municipal Prosecuting Attorney.

One reason behind the petition is that some students can be denied
federal funding for college if they are charged with possession of
marijuana

"There are many students at MU, Stephens and Columbia College that
receive financial aid from the government," Broz said. "These students
realize that they and their fellow classmates can be denied this
financial aid for something as small as being caught with a marijuana
cigarette."

According to the medical marijuana initiative petition, its purpose is
to ensure patients receive no punishment or penalty for using
medicinal marijuana and/or paraphernalia used to consume medicinal
marijuana if recommended by a physician.

"We should be sympathetic to patients and defend their right to use an
effective medicine without suffering any penalty," Broz said. "These
patients are not hurting anyone; they are just trying to find some
relief from their illness."

Boehm said he thinks activists have an ulterior motive.

"These petitions are attempts to legalize marijuana and send the wrong
message to the community," he said.

Junior Angela Brown said she supports the petitions.

"Smart sentencing seems good," Brown said. "People might as well do
something good for the community instead of getting jail time, which
the community has to pay for."

The groups need to collect 2,276 signatures to place the issue on the
November ballot. Only registered Columbia voters can sign the
petitions. Students can sign at upcoming events such as the Sunday
Night Blues Jam at 5 p.m. Sunday at Mojo's, 1013 Park Ave. Petitions
also will be available at a showing of marijuana-related movies at 8
p.m. Thursday in Waters Auditorium and at the Columbia Twilight
Festival in June.