Advocates of legalizing medical marijuana all but conceded defeat Thursday, saying it was unlikely they had gathered enough signatures to put a proposal before Arkansas voters. Denele Campbell of West Fork, treasurer of the Arkansas Alliance for Medical Marijuana, said it would take "a miracle" for the secretary of state's office to verify enough signatures for the group's initiative to qualify for the ballot. Tim Humphries, attorney for Secretary of State Charlie Daniels, said the signatures probably would be tallied by the end of today. [continues 732 words]
Secretary of State Charlie Daniels rejected Tuesday a proposed initiated act to legalize marijuana for medical use because the proponents' petition didn' t contain enough Arkansas voters' signatures to qualify for the ballot. Daniels' announcement doesn't necessarily signal defeat for the Arkansas Alliance for Medical Marijuana, however. The group has 30 days to submit more signatures to reach the 64,456 necessary to put the issue before voters Nov. 2. Denele Campbell of West Fork, one of the group's leaders, said supporters expected the denial and have been collecting more signatures through volunteers and a paid contractor. "I don't want to say we're optimistic or feeling comfortable that we're going to accomplish this, but we've got until [the close of business on Aug. 25]," Campbell said. [continues 934 words]
The committee working for a state constitutional ban on same-sex unions overcame its immediate financial crisis but is in aggressive fund-raising mode as it continues the campaign, the group's spokesman said Thursday. John Thomas of the Arkansas Marriage Amendment Committee said the organization was able to raise the approximately $5,100 needed by Thursday afternoon to pay employees and payroll taxes on time. On Tuesday, that sum wasn't on hand. Thomas said the committee raised about $7,000 in two days. But he acknowledged that the surplus won't last long with an ongoing campaign and four full-time employees. [continues 740 words]
After National Group Pulls Its Funding, State Backers of Ballot Drive to Push On Arkansans who've been campaigning for years to legalize marijuana as medicine say they'll continue their attempt to put the question before voters, with or without the financial backing of an Ohio billionaire. The national organization supporting the Arkansas Alliance for Medical Marijuana announced last week that it's pulling out of the state effort, citing the slim chances that a proposed initiative would qualify for the ballot. [continues 917 words]
A national organization pushing for the legalization of marijuana for medical use snuffed out its effort Friday to put the issue to a vote in Arkansas. The Marijuana Policy Project's decision, which surprised and disappointed advocates who have pushed for similar measures in the state for years, came just a week after the Arkansas Alliance for Medical Marijuana submitted just over 67,000 petition signatures asking for a vote. For the measure to qualify for the ballot, the organization needs 64,456 signatures to be verified as those of registered voters, which supporters said seemed unlikely. "It would be a miracle if it happens," said Chloe Crater, a spokesman for the alliance. "Right now, it would not be an advantage to continue... just because it's extremely expensive, basically." [continues 796 words]
Advocates for legalizing marijuana for medicinal use said Friday they have submitted just over the minimum number of signatures needed to put the issue to a vote of Arkansans. Chloe Crater, a spokesman for the Arkansas Alliance for Medical Marijuana, said the group turned in about 67,000 signatures and will continue seeking more over the next few weeks to replace any that may be declared invalid. Secretary of State Charlie Daniels must certify that the petitions contain the signatures of 64,456 registered voters for the marijuana initiative to qualify for the Nov. 2 ballot. [continues 924 words]
64,456 Signatures Needed by July 2 Advocates for using marijuana as a doctor-prescribed pain reliever finally got the legal OK on Friday to begin collecting signatures to put an initiated act on the Nov. 2 election ballot. After more than four months of rejecting the proposed act over ambiguous language, Attorney General Mike Beebe agreed to the latest wording of the popular name of "The Arkansas Medical Marijuana Act" and its ballot title. "I'm thrilled. It's been a struggle to get the wording right," Denele Campbell of West Fork, executive director of Arkansas Alliance for Medical Marijuana, said Friday. [continues 475 words]
