QUESTION 9 OPPONENTS FEEL SHORTCHANGED

Those Supporting Legalizing Possession Of Pot Raise More Than $1.8 Million

CARSON CITY -- The latest campaign contribution reports have confirmed
marijuana opponent Sandy Heverly's long-standing belief that she is in the
midst of a David versus Goliath battle over legalization of the drug.

Reports filed this week with the secretary of state's office show
supporters of Question 9, which would legalize possession of as much as 3
ounces of marijuana, have raised 12 times more money than organizations
that oppose the statewide ballot initiative.

Nevadans for Responsible Law Enforcement, the group supporting Question 9,
raised $1,802,175 in its fall campaign to make Nevada the first state with
legal marijuana.

Nevadans Against Legalizing Marijuana and the Committee to Keep Nevada
Respectable raised a combined $150,125 in an effort to defeat the measure.

"We are at a huge disadvantage," said Heverly, the Stop DUI executive
director who is affiliated with both anti-marijuana groups. "That is why I
keep comparing it to David and Goliath. Our slingshots are ready to fire on
Tuesday (Election Day)."

Heverly remained optimistic Friday that voters will defeat Question 9.
Passage of the initiative Tuesday and again in 2004 would change the state
constitution and allow adults to possess as much as 3 ounces of marijuana.
The state Legislature would be obligated to set up regulations for the
cultivation, sale and distribution of marijuana. Low-cost marijuana would
be made available for people with permission to use the drug for medical
reasons.

"It takes a lot of shoe leather when you don't have the financial backing,"
Heverly said. "Our effort is truly a grass-roots effort."

Heverly said many would-be voters have been under the false impression that
passage of Question 9 is necessary to implement the medical marijuana
program in Nevada. That program, however, was established in October 2001
by the Legislature and would remain in effect regardless of the vote on
Question 9.

The latest Review-Journal poll, conducted Oct. 21-23, showed 60 percent of
the respondents said they would vote against Question 9, while 36 percent
would vote in favor and 4 percent were undecided.

Billy Rogers, leader of Nevadans for Responsible Law Enforcement, has
challenged the poll's results. He said Friday that Nevadans will approve
Question 9. He expects a large number of young voters and people who don't
vote at all elections to come out in support Tuesday.

"We have a secret weapon, the people who did not vote in 1998 and 2000," he
said. "Question 9 is bringing out a whole new breed of voters."

But the poll results are in line with the results of Alaska's 2000
election, when 39 percent of the voters supported a ballot question to make
possession of small amounts of marijuana legal.

Despite his fund-raising advantage, Rogers thinks his side still is the
underdog. He said the contribution numbers do not count the large number of
anti-drug advertisements being run by national drug czar John Walters.

"You can't turn on the TV without seeing his spots," Rogers said. "When you
are up against the federal drug czar and the establishment here, I'd say
despite what the reports show, we have been outresourced."

Rogers expects people will support Question 9 because they know marijuana
will be legal only inside the privacy of homes, and people "draw the line
in the sand" at police intrusion into homes.

About $71,000 of the money to fund the anti-marijuana movement comes from
The Venetian, while Boyd Gaming and Park Place Entertainment each have put
up $25,000. Clark County sheriff candidate Bill Young gave $500.

All but $2,175 of Nevadans for Responsible Law Enforcement's money comes
from the Marijuana Policy Project of Washington, D.C. That group lobbies
throughout the nation for reducing penalties for use of marijuana.

Las Vegas lawyer John Lambrose, a federal public defender, contributed
$1,000 to the legalization effort.

Others contributed less than $100 each, and those donors do not have to be
identified by name under state law.

Statewide political candidates also turned in their campaign contribution
and expenditure reports this week for the period ending Oct. 24.

Those reports showed Democratic governor candidate Joe Neal raised $24,396
in his campaign, or less than 1 percent of the $3.3 million total of
incumbent Gov. Kenny Guinn. Guinn's total includes leftover money from his
1998 campaign. The governor could beat Neal by better than a 3-to-1 margin,
according to the Review-Journal poll.

Contributions for other statewide candidates also were lopsided. Secretary
of State Dean Heller, a Republican, raised $34,470, compared with $213 by
his Democratic opponent, William Hama.

Republican Treasurer Brian Krolicki raised $251,273, compared with his
Democrat opponent, Ken Santor, $21,836. Santor was a Republican when he was
treasurer between 1987 and 1991.

The controller's race is the only statewide contest with fund-raising
parity. Democrat John Lee, an assemblyman, raised $121,654, compared with
$116,632 by Controller Kathy Augustine., a Republican.