Voters to decide on medical marijuana

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Voters will be asked in November whether they wish to amend the city charter to add language to allow people who use marijuana for medicinal purposes to avoid prosecution.

Final ballot language has not yet been approved, said Ron Olson, acting city clerk, but a petition with 7,000 signatures was certified by the city clerk's office on June 11.

City council is scheduled to sign off on the ballot language during its first regular meeting in July.

"We're very pleased with this and looking forward to a very successful outcome," Charles Ream, a Scio Township trustee who spearheaded the initiative to collect signatures, told The Ann Arbor News.

Detroit voters will consider a similar proposal this August.

Ream, chairman of the Washtenaw Coalition for Compassionate Care, said medical marijuana advocates were considering a state petition drive in order to put the question before all Michigan voters as early as 2006.

Ream has said the group plans similar initiatives in Ypsilanti and Saline in 2006 and 2008, respectively.

Source: The Western Herald
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Published:June 21, 2004
Copyright:2004 The Western Herald
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Website:http://www.westernherald.com/vnews/d.../40d5ff63eb956