SHASTA COUNTY, California - Voters today weighed in on proposed updates to medical marijuana cultivation rules in Shasta County following months of press conferences, protests and news coverage of the contentious issue.

Returns at midnight showed 59 percent of the total 40,226 votes are in favor of Measure A, with 41 percent opposing the measure with all 132 precincts reporting.

If a "yes" vote wins the tally, Measure A would ban outdoor marijuana gardens in unincorporated areas of the county and limit indoor grows to 12 plants in a detached building on property where a patient lives. Violators of the rules could be charged with a misdemeanor.

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REDDING, California - Nearly 100 people turned out for a forum in south Redding Monday night to hear arguments for and against Shasta County's Measure A, a ballot measure that -- if approved by voters next week -- would ban outdoor marijuana cultivation in unincorporated areas of the county and place additional restrictions on indoor grows.

People on both sides of the debate agreed for-profit, illegal marijuana grows have led to environmental damage and crime in the North State, but the competing factions offered greatly different opinions on how best to regulate those gardens and hold scofflaw marijuana growers accountable.

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REDDING, California - The American Civil Liberties Union has taken a stance against Shasta County's Measure A, a local ordinance that - if approved by voters - would ban outdoor marijuana cultivation in unincorporated areas of the county and place additional restrictions on indoor gardens.

The ACLU is the first organization based outside of Shasta County to weigh in on the controversial issue that has drawn the backing of more than a half dozen groups both for and against the measure.

Also opposing the passage of Measure A is the Shasta County United Political Action Committee, Shasta County Citizens for Democracy and the United Food and Commercial Workers Union.

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