Pubdate: Wed, 23 Jul 2014
Source: Daily Tribune, The (Royal Oak, MI)
Copyright: 2014 The Daily Tribune
Contact:  http://www.dailytribune.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1579
Author: Mike McConnell, The Daily Tribune
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?275 (Cannabis - Michigan)

PETITIONS FILED FOR POT DECRIMINALIZATION BALLOT PROPOSALS IN
HUNTINGTON WOODS, PLEASANT RIDGE

Pot decriminalization advocates turned in petitions Tuesday to get the
issue on the November ballot in Huntington Woods and Pleasant Ridge.

"This is an issue about freedom and liberty," said Andrew Cissell, a
candidate running in the Aug. 5 primary as a Democrat to be state
representative for the 27th District. "We have done this in every city
in the district."

Cissell and volunteers last year got the decriminalization proposal on
the ballot Ferndale, where it passed overwhelmingly.

So far this year Cissell has also successfully submitted petitions to
get the proposal on ballots in Oak Park, Hazel Park and Berkley.

"It shows we're hard-working and can get things done," Cissell
said.

His efforts are done in concert with a statewide effort by the Safer
Michigan Coalition, which last year helped pass pot decriminalization
ballot proposals in Ferndale, Lansing and Jackson.

Tim Beck, a retired insurance executive who is co-chair of the state
coalition, said his group this year is targeting about 18 cities
statewide to pass marijuana decriminalization proposals.

Other cities include Saginaw, Lapeer, East Lansing, Mount Pleasant,
Portage, Port Huron, Montrose, Clare, Harrison and Grosse Pointe Park,
he said.

Organizers thus far have had no trouble getting enough registered
voters to sign petitions in the various cities to put the pot question
before voters in each community.

The proposals make it legal for anyone 21 or older to use, possess or
transfer up to an ounce of marijuana on private property not used by
the public. Violations on public property involving the same quantity
of marijuana are supposed to be treated as a civil infraction similar
to a traffic ticket.

"The ultimate goal is to have a statewide vote in 2016 to legalize"
marijuana, Beck said. "Right now there is about 52 percent support for
legalization in Michigan. That's not enough of a threshold (of
support) for a statewide referendum for legalization. We'll do a
private poll in January to see if there is more support."

Like officials in many cities where pot decriminalization proposals
have passed, Pleasant Ridge Mayor Kurt Metzger doesn't think much will
change if voters in his town approve such a proposal.

"Michigan law and federal law ... outlaw the use and distribution of
marijuana ... making local decriminalization measures impotent and
symbolic at best," he said.

Cissell is still facing trial in Oakland County Circuit Court on
several felony marijuana charges. After raising his public profile in
the media last year during the effort to decriminalize pot in Ferndale
he was arrested by undercover Oakland County Sheriff's agents. An
informer later testified he approached police about working with them
to set Cissell up in exchange for easing the informer's probation
requirements.

At least 16 states have decriminalized possession of small amounts of
marijuana. Two states, Washington and Colorado, have legalized marijuana
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MAP posted-by: Matt