Jim Finnel
Fallen Cannabis Warrior & Ex News Moderator
Don Yarber joked that he has managed to earn the nickname Mayor Juana through his efforts to legalize cannabis.
Last week, two nonbinding referendums seeking support on statewide legalization of marijuana use for medical purposes narrowly failed in Cottleville, where Yarber has been mayor for five years. He had hoped its passage would have sparked state legislators to put the matter to a statewide vote.
"We have to start working to convince the nonbelievers," Yarber told a small gathering Saturday at the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws state spring conference in St. Louis.
"I always think of this issue, you know it's not a Libertarian, it's not a Democratic, it's not a Republican issue. It's a compassion issue."
Saturday's daylong conference was held in the Randall building on Cherokee Street.
Yarber's wife was diagnosed with breast cancer 16 years ago and used marijuana to offset the nausea and appetite loss she suffered during radiation and chemotherapy treatments. She recovered.
Yarber grew vocal about the issue after other states began legalizing medical marijuana.
Yarber said the effort to legalize marijuana in his community helped get the word out about the issue and desensitized people to the word "marijuana."
"It's not a defeat," he said. "I think 49 percent of the vote is huge."
The issues both failed by nine votes out of 380 cast.
John Coffman, a lobbyist for the American Civil Liberties Union at the Missouri Legislature, said an amendment dealing with the medical marijuana issue went to a vote in the Legislature this year, gaining five votes in the Senate and 19 in the House.
"It wasn't a great showing, but we did have a debate. We talked about it," said Coffman, who previously served on the City Council in Columbia, Mo. "My theory is that we need to get people thinking about drugs, and particularly marijuana, in the context of public health."
Coffman said there was still a medical marijuana bill pending before the Legislature but said it was unlikely to reach a floor vote.
NewsHawk: User: 420 MAGAZINE ® - Medical Marijuana Publication & Social Networking
Source: lakeexpo.com
Author: Ken Leiser
Copyright: 2010 St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Contact: Lake Expo Online - Front
Website: Pro-marijuana group near St. Louis discusses strategy for legalization - Lake Expo Online - Top News
Last week, two nonbinding referendums seeking support on statewide legalization of marijuana use for medical purposes narrowly failed in Cottleville, where Yarber has been mayor for five years. He had hoped its passage would have sparked state legislators to put the matter to a statewide vote.
"We have to start working to convince the nonbelievers," Yarber told a small gathering Saturday at the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws state spring conference in St. Louis.
"I always think of this issue, you know it's not a Libertarian, it's not a Democratic, it's not a Republican issue. It's a compassion issue."
Saturday's daylong conference was held in the Randall building on Cherokee Street.
Yarber's wife was diagnosed with breast cancer 16 years ago and used marijuana to offset the nausea and appetite loss she suffered during radiation and chemotherapy treatments. She recovered.
Yarber grew vocal about the issue after other states began legalizing medical marijuana.
Yarber said the effort to legalize marijuana in his community helped get the word out about the issue and desensitized people to the word "marijuana."
"It's not a defeat," he said. "I think 49 percent of the vote is huge."
The issues both failed by nine votes out of 380 cast.
John Coffman, a lobbyist for the American Civil Liberties Union at the Missouri Legislature, said an amendment dealing with the medical marijuana issue went to a vote in the Legislature this year, gaining five votes in the Senate and 19 in the House.
"It wasn't a great showing, but we did have a debate. We talked about it," said Coffman, who previously served on the City Council in Columbia, Mo. "My theory is that we need to get people thinking about drugs, and particularly marijuana, in the context of public health."
Coffman said there was still a medical marijuana bill pending before the Legislature but said it was unlikely to reach a floor vote.
NewsHawk: User: 420 MAGAZINE ® - Medical Marijuana Publication & Social Networking
Source: lakeexpo.com
Author: Ken Leiser
Copyright: 2010 St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Contact: Lake Expo Online - Front
Website: Pro-marijuana group near St. Louis discusses strategy for legalization - Lake Expo Online - Top News
