VOTERS SEND MESSAGES ON POT, FINNERAN AND CASINOS

Voters across the Bay State cast ballots Tuesday in overwhelming favor of
relaxing marijuana laws, particularly regarding medicinal use, growth, and
punishment for possession, one of a number of local referendum questions.

"I expect the Legislature will take up the issue of decriminalization and I
hope the city of Boston is going to realize that busting potheads should be
a very low priority," said Bill Downing, president of the Massachusetts
Cannabis Reform Coalition, which amassed hundreds of signatures that put
three marijuana questions on election ballots throughout the state.

Across the state, thousands of voters cast ballots on a total of 54
questions ranging from whether Everett would extend the two-year mayor's
term to four, which voters didn't support, to millions of dollars for Prop.
2 1/2 overrides in several communities.

Holyoke residents also supported casino gambling and voters in 18 districts
ordered their representatives not to vote for Thomas M. Finneran for House
speaker.

Voters in 21 districts asked state representatives to vote in favor of
legislation that would decriminalize marijuana, allow "patients with
certain diseases" to grow and possess the drug, as well as allow state
farmers to grow cannabis that contained less than 1 percent of THC, the
active drug ingredient in pot.

But Bill Breault, chairman of Main Self Alliance for Public Safety in
Worcester, dismissed the significance of the non-binding questions and
pledged to launch an all-out campaign against the movement if legislators
give it any credence.

"This is a dopey smoke-screen and nothing more," said Breault. "When it
becomes binding, then we will challenge and get out and fight any campaign
to liberalize and legalize marijuana."

Organizers may have a hard time persuading lawmakers to support less harsh
pot laws.

State Rep. Robert J. Nyman (D-Hanover), pointing to his two daughters, ages
10 and 12, said last night that he'd have a hard time voting to
decriminalize marijuana, despite the 9,455 votes to 6,326 victory in his
district.

"I had said all along that I really didn't support it because I felt it was
putting us in the wrong direction," Nyman said, admitting he was surprised
by the overwhelming support for the non-binding question.

In Holyoke, nearly 59 percent of the voters passed a non-binding ballot
question in favor of casino gambling in the city.

It was the second time in seven years the question received
support."Philosophically, I'm opposed to casino gambling," said Holyoke
Mayor Michael Sullivan. "I think it's a tax on the poor. I've never had to
stand behind one of the Kennedys to get a scratch ticket."

In 18 separate districts, voters gave Finneran a no-confidence vote in
another non-binding ballot question that they hoped would prevent him from
being re-elected as leader."We've talked to Democrats and Greens,
Republicans and Libertarians alike, and they're all opposed to Finneran as
speaker," said Eric Weltman, organizing director of Citizens for
Participation in Political Action.