Pubdate: Wed, 19 Feb 2014 Source: Portland Press Herald (ME) Contact: http://drugsense.org/url/J9R991Zc Copyright: 2014 MaineToday Media, Inc. Website: http://www.pressherald.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/744 Author: Kevin Miller MARIJUANA GROUPS ENDORSE BELLOWS The Democratic Senate Candidate Has Been a Supporter of Legalization WASHINGTON - Shenna Bellows, the Maine Democrat challenging Republican Sen. Susan Collins in this November's election, received endorsements on Wednesday from two organizations pushing to legalize marijuana at the state and federal levels. Bellows, who supports legalization and regulating marijuana more like alcohol, received the endorsements from the political action committees of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) as well as the Marijuana Policy Project. A bill has been introduced in the current Congress to legalize marijuana but is unlikely to pass. "Shenna Bellows has been at the forefront of the fight for marijuana legalization even before beginning this campaign," Erik Altieri, manager of the NORML PAC, said in a statement released by the Bellows campaign. "During her tenure leading the Maine ACLU, Shenna has demonstrated she has the skill and determination to fight for sensible reforms and has proven to be a vocal and articulate leader in calling for the end of marijuana prohibition." The Marijuana Policy Project was heavily involved in last year's legalization vote in Portland and is gearing up for a 2016 ballot initiative to legalize pot statewide in Maine. - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom