Pubdate: Sat, 12 Apr 2014
Source: Times Herald, The (Port Huron, MI)
Copyright: 2014 The Times Herald
Contact: http://www.thetimesherald.com/customerservice/contactus.html
Website: http://www.thetimesherald.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2570
Author: Nicholas Grenke, Times Herald
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?275 (Cannabis - Michigan)

GROUP PUSHES FOR LEGAL MARIJUANA

Local activists are collecting signatures to allow adults in Port
Huron to possess small amounts of marijuana.

The Coalition for a Safer Port Huron needs more than 1,000 signatures
from city voters to get the proposal to change the city charter on the
Nov. 4 ballot. If passed by voters, it would erase any ordinance
prohibiting the possession and use of less than one ounce of marijuana
by anyone 21 or older.

"It will make marijuana a non-issue -- nothing in the city charter
will mention marijuana being illegal for adults using under one
ounce," coalition organizer Laura Rigby said.

To get a space on the November ballot, Rigby's group must submit valid
signatures to the city clerk's office by July 29. She said she has
collected more than 300 signatures.

"It's early on in the game," Rigby said. "Our group just started
collecting signatures. Even though we need only 1,000, we're going for
more to really push on through."

Group members collected the first signatures outside polling places
during the Feb. 25 election.

Port Huron City Clerk Sue Child said the petition must be signed by 5
percent of the registered voters in Port Huron. She said Coalition for
a Safer Port Huron needs 1,033 signatures. Rigby said she plans to get
1,200.

The Port Huron group is part of a larger effort by marijuana activists
to loosen marijuana enforcement laws around the state. Activists in 10
other Michigan cities also are collecting signatures to put the issue
on the ballot.

Rigby said about 11 members of her group have been meeting since
February. Once the weather warms and more people are outside, she said
volunteers will be outside seeking signatures from people.

She said the reaction has been positive. A few people have questioned
the reasoning behind the change, she said, but they have not been
confrontational.

"I just want to get it on the ballot. If it fails with a resounding
no, I'll be OK with it -- but I don't think it's going to fail with a
resounding no," Rigby said.

A few Michigan cities have decriminalized marijuana. The drug has been
decriminalized or been made the lowest priority for law enforcement
personnel in Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti, Detroit, Lansing, Kalamazoo and
Flint in recent elections.

Marijuana remains illegal under state and federal law.

Police and county prosecutors in Flint said they would continue to
prosecute people for small amounts of marijuana, and any votes would
largely be symbolic because of federal laws.

St. Clair County Sheriff Tim Donnellon said loosening restrictions on
marijuana in Port Huron would be bad for the county.

"It should be on a statewide or nationwide level if it's going to
happen," Donnellon said. "I'm not for that, though."

Donnellon said patchwork changes could cause trouble for law
enforcement. He also said legalizing marijuana could increase the
illegal trade of more dangerous drugs because criminals would look to
make up lost pot profits by pushing drugs such as methamphetamine,
heroin and cocaine.

Port Huron Council Member Alan Lewandowski has signed Rigby's
petition.

"Everybody has a right to put it on the ballot," Lewandowski said.
"(Legalization) seems to be the way things are going if you look at
Colorado and Washington State."

Lewandowski said he would approve of city efforts to generate tax
revenue from legalized pot.

[sidebar]

Marijuana Ballot Proposal

"Nothing in the code of ordinances shall apply to the use, possession
or transfer of less than one ounce of marijuana on private property or
transportation of one ounce or less of marijuana by a person who has
attained the age of 21 years."

For information about the petition visit http://bwne.ws/1lWb3qQ or
call Laura Rigby at (810) 956-0331. 
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MAP posted-by: Jo-D