Pubdate: Fri, 29 Nov 2013 Source: Marietta Times, The (OH) Copyright: 2013 The Marietta Times Contact: http://www.mariettatimes.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2988 EFFORTS TO RELAX US MARIJUANA LAWS LOSE BENEFACTOR COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) -- With the death of Cleveland billionaire and philanthropist Peter B. Lewis, the movement for relaxed U.S. marijuana laws lost its most generous benefactor. That's left supporters wondering what comes next. Allen St. Pierre is the executive director of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, or NORML. He says organizations that relied on Lewis' largesse will need to build new fundraising structures. Lewis, chairman of Progressive Insurance, died Saturday. He had donated an estimated $40 million to $60 million to marijuana law reform since the 1980s. Largely through Lewis' efforts, and those of several other billionaires, 20 states have passed medical marijuana laws, 17 have decriminalized the drug and two have passed legalization language. The founder of California-based Citizens Against Legalizing Marijuana says other big donors remain. - --- MAP posted-by: Matt