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LITTLE ROCK - Supporters of proposals that would define marriage and legalize marijuana for medical use said Monday they expect to file petitions later this week to get their proposals on the November ballot.
The deadline to turn in petitions to get a measure on the Nov. 2 ballot is 5 p.m. Friday. To qualify for the ballot, petitions require at least 80,650 valid signatures of registered voters for a constitutional amendment and 64,465 for an initiated act.
Larry Page, executive director of the Faith and Ethics Council, said more than 150,000 signatures are expected to be turned in at 11 a.m. Thursday in support of a proposed constitutional amendment that would define marriage as being between a man and a woman, in effect banning gay marriage.
Denele Campbell, executive director of the Alliance for Medical Marijuana said supporters of the Arkansas Medical Marijuana Act, a proposed initiated act, expected to turn in their petitions Friday afternoon. She did not know how many signatures would be turned in at that time.
Also Monday, Page said a coalition of conservative groups have joined forces to oppose the Arkansas Medical Marijuana Act.
The Faith and Ethics Council, Arkansas Committee for Ethics, the Families First Foundation and the American Family Association Arkansas have begun a "grassroots effort" with communities and churches to urge voters not to support the proposal to legalize medical use of marijuana.
Page said the proposal is the first step toward the full legalization of marijuana in Arkansas. He also questioned why Peter Lewis, an Ohio billionaire, contributed about $333,000 to help get the proposal on the ballot.
"The strategy seems simple," Page said during a news conference at the state Capitol on Monday. "Swoop into Arkansas with bags of money to finance the signature-gathering process and run misleading advertising. Lead the simple-minded Arkies to approve the medical marijuana law by casting it as an issue of compassion; a masquerade of the real objective."
Lewis, chairman of the board for The Progressive Group, an insurance company, has contributed to several groups promoting marijuana for medical use laws in several states.
Campbell downplayed Page's comments, said she welcomed Lewis' contribution and that much of the information Page uses when speaking against the proposal is outdated. She said the proposal allowing marijuana use for medical purposes is "based on numerous studies."
"There are over 100 studies done showing marijuana's effectiveness as a medicine," she said.
She also said the proposed initiated act would not open the door for the legalization of marijuana in the state.
"Legalization of marijuana for recreational use is an entirely separate issue," she said, adding that under the proposed initiated act, the state Health Department would issue an identification card to patients who would be allowed to possess and use marijuana without being arrested or prosecuted for it.
To qualify, a patient would have to have a doctor agree that they have a debilitating medical condition, such as cancer, glaucoma, HIV/AIDS or another chronic or debilitating disease that causes severe pain.
The patient or their "marijuana provider" would be allowed to possess, grow and transport marijuana legally, but not more than six plants, or one ounce of usable marijuana per person.
A patient would be allowed to have only one marijuana provider, and the provider could have only one patient at a time.
The Health Department's list of people with identification cards would be confidential and exempt from the state Freedom of Information Act.
Page said numerous studies suggest that marijuana smoke is an important risk factor in the development of respiratory disease.
"The soundness of medical marijuana is not yet proven," he said, "and, hence it is an unreliable medical agent."
"Much more study is required; and that study should be directed toward developing marijuana's isolated components or synthetic derivatives that can be delivered in ways other than smoking crude marijuana."
Page also said a synthetic form of the chemical in marijuana is already available, so legalization of marijuana for medical use is not necessary.
Arkansas News Bureau
By Rob Moritz
Tuesday, Jun 29, 2004
© Arkansas News Bureau, 2003 - 2004
https://www.arkansasnews.com/archive/2004/06/29/News/247004.html
The deadline to turn in petitions to get a measure on the Nov. 2 ballot is 5 p.m. Friday. To qualify for the ballot, petitions require at least 80,650 valid signatures of registered voters for a constitutional amendment and 64,465 for an initiated act.
Larry Page, executive director of the Faith and Ethics Council, said more than 150,000 signatures are expected to be turned in at 11 a.m. Thursday in support of a proposed constitutional amendment that would define marriage as being between a man and a woman, in effect banning gay marriage.
Denele Campbell, executive director of the Alliance for Medical Marijuana said supporters of the Arkansas Medical Marijuana Act, a proposed initiated act, expected to turn in their petitions Friday afternoon. She did not know how many signatures would be turned in at that time.
Also Monday, Page said a coalition of conservative groups have joined forces to oppose the Arkansas Medical Marijuana Act.
The Faith and Ethics Council, Arkansas Committee for Ethics, the Families First Foundation and the American Family Association Arkansas have begun a "grassroots effort" with communities and churches to urge voters not to support the proposal to legalize medical use of marijuana.
Page said the proposal is the first step toward the full legalization of marijuana in Arkansas. He also questioned why Peter Lewis, an Ohio billionaire, contributed about $333,000 to help get the proposal on the ballot.
"The strategy seems simple," Page said during a news conference at the state Capitol on Monday. "Swoop into Arkansas with bags of money to finance the signature-gathering process and run misleading advertising. Lead the simple-minded Arkies to approve the medical marijuana law by casting it as an issue of compassion; a masquerade of the real objective."
Lewis, chairman of the board for The Progressive Group, an insurance company, has contributed to several groups promoting marijuana for medical use laws in several states.
Campbell downplayed Page's comments, said she welcomed Lewis' contribution and that much of the information Page uses when speaking against the proposal is outdated. She said the proposal allowing marijuana use for medical purposes is "based on numerous studies."
"There are over 100 studies done showing marijuana's effectiveness as a medicine," she said.
She also said the proposed initiated act would not open the door for the legalization of marijuana in the state.
"Legalization of marijuana for recreational use is an entirely separate issue," she said, adding that under the proposed initiated act, the state Health Department would issue an identification card to patients who would be allowed to possess and use marijuana without being arrested or prosecuted for it.
To qualify, a patient would have to have a doctor agree that they have a debilitating medical condition, such as cancer, glaucoma, HIV/AIDS or another chronic or debilitating disease that causes severe pain.
The patient or their "marijuana provider" would be allowed to possess, grow and transport marijuana legally, but not more than six plants, or one ounce of usable marijuana per person.
A patient would be allowed to have only one marijuana provider, and the provider could have only one patient at a time.
The Health Department's list of people with identification cards would be confidential and exempt from the state Freedom of Information Act.
Page said numerous studies suggest that marijuana smoke is an important risk factor in the development of respiratory disease.
"The soundness of medical marijuana is not yet proven," he said, "and, hence it is an unreliable medical agent."
"Much more study is required; and that study should be directed toward developing marijuana's isolated components or synthetic derivatives that can be delivered in ways other than smoking crude marijuana."
Page also said a synthetic form of the chemical in marijuana is already available, so legalization of marijuana for medical use is not necessary.
Arkansas News Bureau
By Rob Moritz
Tuesday, Jun 29, 2004
© Arkansas News Bureau, 2003 - 2004
https://www.arkansasnews.com/archive/2004/06/29/News/247004.html
