At Least 17 of 20 Marijuana Initiatives Pass Montana Becomes 10th Medical
Marijuana State
WASHINGTON -- November 3 -- Proposals to reform marijuana laws racked up
record-setting vote totals across the country Tuesday, leaving reformers
cheering despite a few setbacks.
Montana voters approved a medical marijuana measure, Initiative 148, by an
overwhelming 62% to 38%, eclipsing the previous record for any state's first
vote on a medical marijuana initiative, the 61% support received by a medical
marijuana measure in Maine in 1999.
In Alaska, Measure 2 scored the highest vote percentage ever achieved by a
statewide proposal to abolish marijuana prohibition entirely and replace it with
a system of regulation. With 43% of the vote, Measure 2 outpolled previous
attempts in Alaska, Nevada, California, and Oregon -- none of which received
more than 41% of the vote.
Efforts to replace prohibition with regulation got a huge boost from Oakland
voters, who approved Measure Z by 64% to 36%. The measure commits the city of
Oakland to supporting the taxation and regulation of marijuana in California and
makes personal marijuana offenses the lowest priority for Oakland law
enforcement.
In Ann Arbor, Michigan, voters overwhelmingly passed a local medical marijuana
initiative, Measure C, 74% to 26%. In August, Detroit voters passed a similar
measure by a 60% to 40% margin.
Voters in Columbia, Missouri, gave big wins to two separate reforms: A medical
marijuana proposal, Proposition 1, passed by 69% to 31%; and Proposition 2,
which replaces jail time with a maximum $250 fine for marijuana possession, also
received a solid endorsement with 61% of the vote.
With advocates gearing up to lobby for medical marijuana bills in legislatures
around the country next year, Vermont voters showed officeholders the danger of
opposing such reforms. Vermonters handed stunning defeats to three leading
opponents of that state's medical marijuana law-passed by the legislature
earlier this year after a
contentious, three-year battle. MPP, which led the campaign to pass the law,
funded an extensive grassroots campaign aimed primarily at defeating legislators
who opposed the measure and backing those who had supported it. The campaign
included voter identification, direct mail, and an aggressive get-out-the-vote
effort staffed by a large network of in-state volunteers.
State Rep. Spike Robinson (R-Chittenden 4) lost to Democratic challenger Denise
Barnard, 57% to 43%; Rep. Ruth Towne (R-Washington 3-3) was upset by Democrat
Steve Green, 52% to 48%; and Rep. Nancy Sheltra (R-Orleans 1) lost her seat to
Progressive Winston Dowland by 14 votes. The results shifted control of the
Vermont House of Representatives to the Democrats-viewed by medical marijuana
supporters as a positive development due to the unrelenting hostility of the
House GOP leadership during last year's session.
MPP also supported two incumbents whose seats were in jeopardy: State Reps.
Floyd Nease (D-Lamoille 3) and Steven Maier (D-Addison 1), both of whom won
reelection by comfortable margins.
Massachusetts voters passed 12 of 12 advisory referenda on marijuana policy
reform: five in support of medical marijuana, six in support of making marijuana
a civil offense similar to a traffic ticket, and one in support of taxing and
regulating marijuana.
Two of Tuesday's results were disappointing to reformers. Oregon voters defeated
Measure 33, which would have allowed state-regulated medical marijuana
dispensaries and increased the amount of medical marijuana patients may possess.
In Berkeley, California, uncertainty remained about Measure R, which would
facilitate the establishment of medical marijuana dispensaries. As of Wednesday
morning the measure was trailing narrowly, but with enough absentee ballots
still left to
be counted to put the measure over the top.
"Election Day was a great day for marijuana policy reform," said Rob Kampia,
executive director of MPP. "The passage of the initiative in Montana makes it
the 10th state to allow patients to use, possess, and grow their own marijuana
for medical purposes. Voters in at least 16 of 17 cities or districts passed
medical marijuana or broader
marijuana policy reform measures. And we wrested control of the Vermont House of
Representatives from the Republicans, who watered down and nearly killed our
medical marijuana bill earlier this year," referring to the Vermont medical
marijuana law.
The 10 states that have medical marijuana laws are Alaska, California, Colorado,
Hawaii, Maine, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington.
"Other than in Alaska, the only other marijuana policy reform measures to be
defeated were in Oregon and possibly Berkeley, and both of those initiatives
would have radically expanded already- existing medical marijuana laws by
authorizing the sale of marijuana," said Kampia. "The lesson of Election Day is
that moderate medical
marijuana initiatives on the local and state levels always pass, local
initiatives to roll back penalties for recreational marijuana users were also
universally passed, and we just broke the all-time record of support for any
statewide measure to end marijuana prohibition," he said, referring to the
Alaska initiative.
MPP spent more than $2,000,000 on the Alaska, Montana, and Oregon initiative
campaigns, as well as providing more than $200,000 to activists who ran the
local initiative campaigns in California, Massachusetts, Michigan, and Missouri.
With more than 17,000 members and 157,000 e-mail subscribers nationwide, the
Marijuana Policy Project is the largest marijuana policy reform organization in
the United States. For more information, please visit Bruce Mirken, MPP director
of communications, 202-543-7972 or 415-668-6403. For more information, please
visit MarijuanaPolicy.org
Marijuana State
WASHINGTON -- November 3 -- Proposals to reform marijuana laws racked up
record-setting vote totals across the country Tuesday, leaving reformers
cheering despite a few setbacks.
Montana voters approved a medical marijuana measure, Initiative 148, by an
overwhelming 62% to 38%, eclipsing the previous record for any state's first
vote on a medical marijuana initiative, the 61% support received by a medical
marijuana measure in Maine in 1999.
In Alaska, Measure 2 scored the highest vote percentage ever achieved by a
statewide proposal to abolish marijuana prohibition entirely and replace it with
a system of regulation. With 43% of the vote, Measure 2 outpolled previous
attempts in Alaska, Nevada, California, and Oregon -- none of which received
more than 41% of the vote.
Efforts to replace prohibition with regulation got a huge boost from Oakland
voters, who approved Measure Z by 64% to 36%. The measure commits the city of
Oakland to supporting the taxation and regulation of marijuana in California and
makes personal marijuana offenses the lowest priority for Oakland law
enforcement.
In Ann Arbor, Michigan, voters overwhelmingly passed a local medical marijuana
initiative, Measure C, 74% to 26%. In August, Detroit voters passed a similar
measure by a 60% to 40% margin.
Voters in Columbia, Missouri, gave big wins to two separate reforms: A medical
marijuana proposal, Proposition 1, passed by 69% to 31%; and Proposition 2,
which replaces jail time with a maximum $250 fine for marijuana possession, also
received a solid endorsement with 61% of the vote.
With advocates gearing up to lobby for medical marijuana bills in legislatures
around the country next year, Vermont voters showed officeholders the danger of
opposing such reforms. Vermonters handed stunning defeats to three leading
opponents of that state's medical marijuana law-passed by the legislature
earlier this year after a
contentious, three-year battle. MPP, which led the campaign to pass the law,
funded an extensive grassroots campaign aimed primarily at defeating legislators
who opposed the measure and backing those who had supported it. The campaign
included voter identification, direct mail, and an aggressive get-out-the-vote
effort staffed by a large network of in-state volunteers.
State Rep. Spike Robinson (R-Chittenden 4) lost to Democratic challenger Denise
Barnard, 57% to 43%; Rep. Ruth Towne (R-Washington 3-3) was upset by Democrat
Steve Green, 52% to 48%; and Rep. Nancy Sheltra (R-Orleans 1) lost her seat to
Progressive Winston Dowland by 14 votes. The results shifted control of the
Vermont House of Representatives to the Democrats-viewed by medical marijuana
supporters as a positive development due to the unrelenting hostility of the
House GOP leadership during last year's session.
MPP also supported two incumbents whose seats were in jeopardy: State Reps.
Floyd Nease (D-Lamoille 3) and Steven Maier (D-Addison 1), both of whom won
reelection by comfortable margins.
Massachusetts voters passed 12 of 12 advisory referenda on marijuana policy
reform: five in support of medical marijuana, six in support of making marijuana
a civil offense similar to a traffic ticket, and one in support of taxing and
regulating marijuana.
Two of Tuesday's results were disappointing to reformers. Oregon voters defeated
Measure 33, which would have allowed state-regulated medical marijuana
dispensaries and increased the amount of medical marijuana patients may possess.
In Berkeley, California, uncertainty remained about Measure R, which would
facilitate the establishment of medical marijuana dispensaries. As of Wednesday
morning the measure was trailing narrowly, but with enough absentee ballots
still left to
be counted to put the measure over the top.
"Election Day was a great day for marijuana policy reform," said Rob Kampia,
executive director of MPP. "The passage of the initiative in Montana makes it
the 10th state to allow patients to use, possess, and grow their own marijuana
for medical purposes. Voters in at least 16 of 17 cities or districts passed
medical marijuana or broader
marijuana policy reform measures. And we wrested control of the Vermont House of
Representatives from the Republicans, who watered down and nearly killed our
medical marijuana bill earlier this year," referring to the Vermont medical
marijuana law.
The 10 states that have medical marijuana laws are Alaska, California, Colorado,
Hawaii, Maine, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington.
"Other than in Alaska, the only other marijuana policy reform measures to be
defeated were in Oregon and possibly Berkeley, and both of those initiatives
would have radically expanded already- existing medical marijuana laws by
authorizing the sale of marijuana," said Kampia. "The lesson of Election Day is
that moderate medical
marijuana initiatives on the local and state levels always pass, local
initiatives to roll back penalties for recreational marijuana users were also
universally passed, and we just broke the all-time record of support for any
statewide measure to end marijuana prohibition," he said, referring to the
Alaska initiative.
MPP spent more than $2,000,000 on the Alaska, Montana, and Oregon initiative
campaigns, as well as providing more than $200,000 to activists who ran the
local initiative campaigns in California, Massachusetts, Michigan, and Missouri.
With more than 17,000 members and 157,000 e-mail subscribers nationwide, the
Marijuana Policy Project is the largest marijuana policy reform organization in
the United States. For more information, please visit Bruce Mirken, MPP director
of communications, 202-543-7972 or 415-668-6403. For more information, please
visit MarijuanaPolicy.org