NEW TV ADS BOLSTER STATE ISSUE 1 CAMPAIGN

Local supporters of state Issue 1 made a last-minute plea for votes as they
unveiled television ads that will air this weekend.

Led by Mansour Bey of the First Church of God on Collingwood Boulevard, a
handful of people spoke up for Issue 1, which would offer treatment instead
of prison for first and second-time offenders.

One ad shows Dr. Christopher Adelman, president of the Ohio Society of
Addiction Medicine, saying, in part, "I know that when a drug user takes
responsibility, treatment really works at only a fraction of the cost of
prison. If treatment fails, a judge can still order someone jailed."

The other ad promises that "Issue 1 provides drug treatment for nonviolent
drug users so they can get jobs and pay taxes."

Opponents include Toledo Mayor Jack Ford, former head of Substance Abuse
Services, Inc.

Other participants included June Boyd, independent candidate in the
three-way race for the House District 48 seat; minister and former mayoral
candidate Opal Covey; Johnny Jones, president of Toledo Urban Prison
Ministry, Inc.; and the Rev. Carolyn Jean Eyre of Bible Temple Family
Worship Center. Ed Emery, Republican candidate for the 9th Congressional
District seat, joined the group as the conference was ending.