REGULATION OF MARIJUANA AWAITS VOTE IN NEVADA

Nevada does not come readily to mind as a place to find solace from all
that is dangerous and scary in today's world, but come November that may
change, and we'll have marijuana to thank.

Nevadans for Responsible Law Enforcement (NRLE) have created a ballot
initiative (Section 38 of Article 4 of the Constitution of the State of
Nevada, commonly known as Question 9) proposing the statewide regulation of
marijuana use and distribution that will appear on the statewide ballot on
November 5, 2002. The initiative would lead to fewer small-scale marijuana
arrests and free up cops to protect citizens from the more pressing
problems of violent crime and terrorist threats through a program that
would eliminate the threat of arrest for adults over the age of 21 who use
and/or possess up to three ounces of marijuana; require the state
government to implement a system whereby marijuana can be legally obtained
only through a regulated market of licensed establishments rather than
underground or black-market sales; allow seriously ill patients to obtain
marijuana for medicinal use at a lower cost than that available to
non-medical or recreational users (though the law does not require
insurance companies to reimburse patients for the purchase of marijuana for
these purposes); and include common-sense restrictions that would prohibit
use in public or on public transportation, advertising on billboards and in
newspapers or magazines, distribution and/or sale of marijuana to minors
(under the age of 21), and transportation of marijuana in or out of the state.

The ballot initiative has already been endorsed by the Nevada Conference of
Police and Sherriffs (NCOPS), which, with more than 3,000 members, is the
largest police association in Nevada. Members of NCOPS support the
initiative on the grounds that it would provide for a much-needed
reallocation of time and money and enable law enforcement officials to
devote their attention to crimes that pose more immediate threats to the
well-being of Nevada's citizens.

On August 6, the NRLE reported NCOPS president Andy Anderson announcing his
organization's ground-breaking endorsement, "As a former law-enforcement
officer, I know that a simple marijuana arrest takes me off the street for
half my shift." Public opinion polls show widespread support for the
initiative as well: at present, 44 percent of voters say that they plan to
vote for the initiative, compared with 46 percent who are opposed and 10
percent who are undecided.

While these figures may not seem to indicate certain success for Question
9, it is important to note that this polling takes place months before the
voting date and the aggressive campaigning that the NRLE plans to launch as
the big day approaches.