LEGALIZING POT: Question 9 opponents replace spokesman

Marijuana Initiative's Supporters Had Criticized Statements

Carson City -- Four days after making a controversial accusation, Clark
County Deputy District Attorney Gary Booker was replaced as the chief law
enforcement spokesman opposing the movement to legalize marijuana.

Sgt. Rick Barela, a 23-year member of the Metropolitan Police Department,
was named Tuesday as the top spokesman against Question 9.

Barela said there was a need to make one person the source of information
about organized opposition to the marijuana question. Now a public
information officer, Barela was a patrol officer and handled marijuana cases.

Booker has not responded to phone calls since a Board of Health meeting on
Friday when he alleged a man with ties to South American drug cartels was
financing Nevadans Against Responsible Law Enforcement. The organization is
campaigning for passage of Question 9, which would amend the state
Constitution and let adult Nevadans possess 3 ounces or less of marijuana
in their homes.

Billy Rogers, leader of Nevadans for Responsible Law Enforcement,
criticized Booker for the allegation, contending the group never would take
donations from anyone associated with a drug cartel.

Rogers demanded an apology from Booker and Sen. Joe Neal, D-North Las Vegas.

Neal said the source of the drug cartel information came from a publication
owned by perennial presidential candidate Lyndon LaRouche. A LaRouche
newsletter said billionaire investor George Soros had backed movements in
South America that aided the drug suppliers and also donated to the
Marijuana Policy Project, the parent organization of Nevadans for
Responsible Law Enforcement. Neal said he believed the publication to be
credible.

Rogers said Tuesday he felt vindicated by Booker being removed as a spokesman.

"I hope this means the opposition will stop trying to scare voters and
start discussing the real issues of this campaign," Rogers said. "We would
welcome a debate with the new spokesman on the issue of protecting people
in the privacy of their homes or under the care of a doctor."

Rogers said Booker made several factual errors about marijuana.

At one point, Booker said the state Department of Agriculture provided
seeds to the 200 people in the state who have legal permission to use
marijuana for medical reasons. The state does not provide any seeds.
Participants can grow as many as seven marijuana plants, but must acquire
their own seeds.

Polls by Nevadans for Responsible Law Enforcement show residents are split
on Question 9, Rogers said.

The most recent Review-Journal poll showed 55 percent of residents oppose
the legal marijuana proposal, while 40 percent back it and 5 percent are
undecided.

The question needs voter approval Nov. 5 and in 2004 before Nevadans could
possess marijuana, which is illegal under federal law.

The state Board of Health voted unanimously last week to oppose legal
marijuana. Dr. Joey Villaflor, chairman of the board, said he feared more
children would gain access to marijuana if it were legal for parents to
possess the drug.