Determined to demonstrate the power of grass-roots democracy, local medical marijuana activists officially began their campaign to collect about 70,000 signatures required to put the issue before Arkansas voters in November’s general election.

During their first signature collection rally held Saturday at the Fayetteville Public Library, observers say a near-capacity crowd filled the meeting room to listen as leaders from the Alliance for Reform of Drug Policy in Arkansas detailed the ballot initiative.

According to ARDPArk’s president, Denele Campbell, the proposed initiative is patterned on the success of a similar law approved in 1998 by Oregon voters, which allows physicians to recommend the use of marijuana for patients with “debilitating medical conditions.”

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