0 0 -- - 0 - - - v 0 0 0
a
L2B - The Michigan Daily - Election Guide - Thursday, October 28
Voters to decide on legalized marijuana
3aKarTe__Proposal C would let A2 residents seek approved use of drug
Daily Staff ReporterC wo lg
The Michigan Daily - Electior
CrTY ELECTIONS
Proposal C, if passed, will amend
Ann Arbor's charter to allow the use
:f marijuana for medical purposes.
rhis means users of marijuana with
the recommendation of a qualified
health professional not be fined by
Ann Arbor police, although they
would still be subject to arrest if
using the drug on campus property.
The city currently has a law that
makes marijuana possession punish-
able by a $25 fine.
Even if this proposal is passed, it
will still be illegal to possess medi-
cal marijuana under state and federal
law. Users will thus stand the risk of
arrest and prosecution by state and
federal law enforcement officers. Gov.
Jennifer Granholm also opposes the
measure.
The initiative also proposes to
lower the fine for third and subsequent
offenses to $100.
The proposal was authored by
Rich Birkett, who is running for a
City Council seat in Ann Arbor's
3rd ward.
"I personally know medical mari-
juana patients, and I don't think we
should wait for marijuana to be totally
legal before we can help these people,"
Birkett said. "At the top of my list is
passage of Proposal C."
Charles Ream, a University alum
and Scio Township trustee, collected
7,000 petition signatures from Ann
Some scientific research has shown
medical marijuana does produce results
in treating glaucoma, nausea and loss
Arbor residents,
almost double the
required number
to place the initia-
tive on the ballot.
Ream, 57, who
said his stomach
problems were
cured after he
smoked cannabis
joints in the six-
ties, said. "This
is a chance for
the city to send
"It is foolishness
that marijuana
is not available
to sick people."
- Charles Ream
Scio Township trustee,
of appetite. Howev-
er, many national
medical organiza-
tions, such as the
American Medi-
cal Association,
do not support the
idea of legalizing
medical marijua-
na because they
say more in-depth
and controlled
research needs to
be done before
a big message that we want to help
patients here, and that it is foolishness
that marijuana is not available to sick
people."
conclusive results can be obtained.
Medical marijuana is already legal
in nine other states, including Califor-
nia, Colorado and Vermont.
Proposal C-- The text
Amendment to section 16.2 of the Ann Arbor City Charter per-
taining to marijuana or cannabis.
Shall section 16.2 of the Charter be amended to require waiv-
er of fines and costs upon proof that the defendant has a recom-
mendation of a physician, practitioner or other qualified health
professional to use or provide marijuana or cannabis for medical
treatment; to prohibit Ann Arbor police officers from complain-
ing, and the city attorney from referring any complaint, of the
possession, use, giving away, sale or cultivation of marijuana
upon proof of such recommendation; to prohibit other punitive or
rehabilitative measures; to establish an affirmative defense; and
to set the fine for third and subsequent offenses at $100?
w