MARIJUANA PETITION HEADED FOR NEVADA BALLOT

CARSON CITY, Nev. - An initial count shows there are 109,048 signatures on
a petition to let Nevadans have up to three ounces of marijuana without
fear of arrest, the secretary of state's office says.

Verification of the names must be finished by July 8. Even if more than 40
percent were tossed out, the petition to amend the Nevada Constitution
would still meet a minimum requirement of 61,336 signatures to qualify for
the November ballot.

In counties where there are fewer than 500 signatures on the petition,
every one must be examined to determine if those who signed are registered
voters. In other counties, clerks or registrar of voters must sample 5
percent or 500 signatures, whichever is more.

The signatures must represent 10 percent of registered voters in 13 of the
state's 17 counties. The raw count shows the petition had the necessary
signatures in all counties except Elko and Douglas.

Billy Rogers, a spokesman for the group circulating the petition, said
Monday he's confident there are enough valid signatures to be eligible for
the ballot.

The drive is being sponsored by the nonprofit Medical Marijuana Project,
based in Washington, D.C. Rogers said the petition-gathering process in
Nevada cost $300,000.

If the plan qualifies for the ballot, it would have to be approved by
voters in November and again in 2004.

The petition would permit adult Nevadans to possess up to three ounces of
marijuana, and would authorize the Legislature to establish a distribution
system for people who use marijuana for medical purposes.

Voters gave final approval in 2000 to a constitutional amendment to allow
Nevadans to possess marijuana for medical purposes, once they get a
statement from a doctor.

"Under the current law, seriously ill cancer patients are forced to grow
their own marijuana or to purchase it from the criminal market," Rogers
said. "This initiative will allow seriously ill patients to purchase
medical marijuana through a regulated market."

A tax would be levied similar to the one on tobacco products, which are now
taxed at 30 percent of wholesale value. That produces more than $7 million
in revenue.

Advertising of marijuana would be prohibited, as would shipping it into or
out of the state.