Pubdate: Fri, 14 Sep 2012
Source: Worcester Telegram & Gazette (MA)
Copyright: 2012 Worcester Telegram & Gazette
Contact:  http://www.telegram.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/509
Author: John J. Monahan

SITE SPOOFS OPPOSITION TO MEDICAL MARIJUANA

BOSTON -- Opponents of ballot Question 3 on the November ballot to
legalize medical marijuana are complaining about a spoof website that
ridicules their opposition, and was incorrectly listed in the official
state voter guide being mailed to millions of state voters.

The spoof website contains made up stories that, among other things,
assert "Marijuana is the gateway drug to Twinkies," that Mayans
believed the world would end in 2012 because of marijuana, and that
local drug dealers are banding together to stop medical marijuana
because it would hurt their business.

In a statement listing the correct website of the group opposing the
ballot question, Dr. James Broadhurst, chairman of the No on Question
3 Committee, claimed, "Our opponents have tampered with the democratic
process" by putting the website online under a name that appears to be
an official No on Question 3 website, but is not authorized by the
opposition committee.

Thanks to pro-marijuana proponents who want Question 3 to pass, the
people of Massachusetts are being deceived about the facts around this
initiative, which will create 35 marijuana stores and allow anyone
with a doctor's note to get marijuana," Dr. Broadhurst said.

The correct website address for the official opposition committee is
www.MaVoteNoOnQuestion3.com.

The incorrect spoof website listed in the Massachusetts state Voter
Guide that the Secretary of State began distributing to voters
yesterday, lists the opposition group's website incorrectly, referring
those seeking more information on the opposition to the ballot measure
to www.VoteNoOnQuestion3.org.

Lisa Barstow, spokeswoman for the No On 3 committee, said the
Secretary of State's office was not at fault.

She said the group initially gave election officials the name of the
site that was printed in the voter guide as their opposition site.

"We ended up registering a site under a different name, neglecting to
tell the Secretary of State's office. But as a result of other people
buying up the site and making a spoof out of it, people will be
misled," she said.

The group said after working with Secretary of State William F. Galvin
to correct the situations, he has agreed to publish the correct
website address on the Secretary of State's online version of the
Voter Guide, according to Heidi Heilman, president of the
Massachusetts Prevention Alliance, which opposes the ballot measure.

"Anyone who calls the Secretary of State will get the correct
information," she said.

Brian McNiff, spokesman for the Secretary of State's office, said the
website listed in the voter guide was the site the committee opposed
to the ballot question had provided to appear in the voter guide, but
that the group had not registered that site.
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MAP posted-by: Matt