Pubdate: Thu, 9 Nov 2000 Source: Salem Evening News Copyright: Copyright 2000 Essex County Newspapers. All rights reserved. Feedback: http://www.salemnews.com/email/#Editor-s Website: http://www.salemnews.com/ Author: Jon Chesto, Ottaway News Service Cited: Massachusetts Cannabis Reform Coalition: http://www.masscann.org/ BEACON HILL NOT HIGH ON MOVE TO DECRIMINALIZE POT BOSTON -- The voters of the 4th Essex District surprised Rep. Brad Hill Tuesday when a majority supported a ballot question asking him to introduce a bill that would decriminalize marijuana use. But the proposal, which would make marijuana possession a civil infraction instead of a criminal offense, still has a long way to go on Beacon Hill before it reaches the House floor. Because the question was non-binding, Hill isn't required to sponsor the legislation. Hill, an Ipswich Republican who was overwhelmingly elected to his second term Tuesday, is personally opposed to the bill and doesn't expect he'll change his mind anytime soon. The bill could still come from another source. Similar non-binding questions won the majority of voters' support in the 2nd Middlesex Senate District, Medford, Winchester, and parts of Somerville and Woburn, as well as the 6th Middlesex House District in Framingham. A non-binding proposal supporting the legalization of marijuana for medical use won the majority of votes in several Cape Cod towns. Supporters of marijuana decriminalization say the drug isn't more harmful than alcohol and that marijuana arrests burden the Massachusetts courts. "Coming out in support of this is not going to harm anyone politically," said Steve Epstein, a lawyer from Georgetown who sponsored the 4th Essex ballot question. "Across the state, we're going to see that a majority of voters are tired of seeing adults arrested for possessing marijuana." Even if such a proposal is submitted to the Legislature, several lawmakers said yesterday it would face many hurdles before becoming a law. "I don't think there's much appetite in the Legislature for reducing penalties or reducing the stature of drug crimes," said Sen. Bruce Tarr, a Gloucester Republican whose senatorial district includes the 4th Essex district's towns, Ipswich, Manchester-by-the-Sea, Hamilton, Wenham, Boxford and part of Georgetown. Rep. Patricia Jehlen, a Democrat from Somerville, said Tuesday's numbers in support of marijuana decriminalization aren't overwhelming enough to assure such a proposal would be approved by the Legislature. She said the vote, however, is significant enough to draw legislators' attention to the issue. Jon Holmes, a member of the Massachusetts Cannabis Reform Coalition who helped organize the marijuana ballot question campaigns, said he was surprised at how well the proposals did Tuesday. Holmes said he plans to meet with other MassCann members within the next several days to decide how to proceed on Beacon Hill. Epstein, one of the founders of MassCann, said he hopes to meet with Hill soon and persuade him about the merits of the ballot question. Hill, it seems, is going to need a significant amount of persuading. "It would be awfully tough to support something (like this)," Hill said. "By smoking marijuana, it can lead to bigger drugs. I've seen (that) personally cause the death of three acquaintances since I graduated from high school." Hill said he has no plans to file such a bill before the end of this year. But he said he will hold informal meetings around his district early next year to learn more about the proposal. "I want to be educated on the issue and the only way to be educated is to hold hearings on the issue throughout the district and find out what people really think," Hill said. "I'm going to give the people the opportunity not just to vote on it but to (also) discuss it in a forum." The ballot questions that appeared in many communities Tuesday represent the first time MassCann has placed such a proposal on a ballot, Epstein said. Last year, the group unsuccessfully tried to gather enough signatures to place a marijuana decriminalization question on all ballots in the state. - --- MAP posted-by: Kirk Bauer