Pubdate: Sat, 10 Aug 2002
Source: Reno Gazette-Journal (NV)
Contact:  2002 Reno Gazette-Journal
Website: http://www.rgj.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/363
Author: Ken Ritter, AP
Note: Several hawked AP wire copies coalesced in this print version.
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?162  (Nevadans for Responsible Law 
Enforcement)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/walters.htm (Walters, John)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?194 (Hutchinson, Asa)

NEVADA POLICE GROUP REVERSES ENDORSEMENT OF MARIJUANA MEASURE

Nevada's largest police organization ousted its president Friday and 
reversed his endorsement of a statewide initiative that would let adults 
legally possess up to 3 ounces of marijuana.

The Nevada Conference of Police and Sheriffs issued a statement blaming 
former president Andy Anderson for a"misunderstanding"and declared that the 
executive board had not endorsed decriminalizing marijuana when Anderson 
polled them Tuesday.

"NCOPS does not endorse Question 9,"it said, referring to the measure's 
number on the Nov. 5 ballot,"nor will it support any measure for the 
decriminalization or legalization of marijuana."

Anderson, one of the founding members of the 23-year-old advocacy 
organization, could not immediately be reached for comment. NCOPS 
represents about 3,000 mostly southern Nevada law enforcement officers _ 
about two-thirds of police in the state.

Billy Rogers, head of Nevadans for Responsible Law Enforcement, the main 
political group supporting the measure, insisted that the NCOPS board had 
unanimously supported Question 9 before Anderson made the endorsement public.

"There was tremendous pressure from the politicians and the law enforcement 
establishment to get these board members to change their minds,"Rogers said 
Friday.

The NCOPS endorsement had echoed the Nevadans for Responsible Law 
Enforcement position that taxpayer dollars and law enforcement time are 
wasted prosecuting minor drug offenders.

"Its a priority issue,"Anderson told The Associated Press on Tuesday."We 
just feel we could use our resources better. Why waste our time with 
marijuana arrests?"

The position drew national media attention and howls from police and 
prosecutors, including Deputy Clark County District Attorney Gary Booker 
who said Friday that 3 ounces of marijuana can make 200 or more marijuana 
cigarettes _ far more than needed for personal use. Passing Question 9 
would undercut drunken-driving prosecutions, Booker has said.

The endorsement also raised the profile of a campaign that has drawn recent 
visits to Nevada from federal Drug Enforcement Agency Director Asa 
Hutchinson and federal"drug czar"John P. Walters to underscore the Bush 
administration's opposition to the measure.

Two statewide polls in recent weeks have found voters evenly split on the 
proposal, with about 10 percent undecided.

Until last year, Nevada had the strictest marijuana law in the nation _ 
making it a felony to possess a single marijuana cigarette. Now, possessing 
an ounce or less is a misdemeanor.

The initiative would allow marijuana to be sold only in state-licensed and 
taxed smoke shops. Possession by minors would still be a crime, public use 
would be banned and driving under the influence would be illegal. Sales by 
private individuals would be prohibited.

The measure would have to pass twice _ in November and again in 2004 _ to 
become law.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom