From: tuco@frontiernet.net

Non-binding pot question wins handily
By Joel Beck/ jbeck@cnc.com
Wednesday, November 10, 2004

If you ask Steve Epstein, sooner or later someone at the State House has to
start paying attention to the public demand for the reformation of
Massachusetts' marijuana laws.



     He hopes state Sen. Thomas McGee, who represents Swampscott, is one of
those listening and Epstein also hopes the third time is the charm.



     Lost in the shuffle of yet another controversial photo finish in the
presidential race was the North Shore's passage - by a wide margin - of
Epstein's non-binding ballot question seeking to decriminalize marijuana,
with punishment for possession being more like getting a traffic ticket.



     As a Georgetown attorney and a longtime marijuana reform advocate,
Epstein had placed the question on ballots in the 2nd Essex and 3rd Essex
and Middlesex Senate districts, asking voters whether they'd like their
legislators to reconsider the state's marijuana laws.



     Swampscott voters were in favor by more than a 2-1 margin, giving the
question, which did not specify any amount of marijuana, 4,884 votes to
2,416 against.



     This being the third time a marijuana reformation question has been
approved on a Massachusetts ballot, Epstein hopes this will be the time
legislators put the wheels in motion.



      "My prediction was pretty accurate," says Epstein. "This is the third
time we've been doing this and once again both Senate districts voted
overwhelmingly in favor."



     Overwhelming indeed. In the 2nd Essex Senate District, which includes
Danvers, Peabody, Salem, Topsfield and Beverly, the question passed by more
than a 2-to-1 margin, with nearly 50,000 voting in favor and roughly 22,000
voting against.



     Meanwhile, in the 3rd Essex and Middlesex district, which includes
Saugus, Marblehead, Swampscott, Melrose, Lynn and Nahant, more than 37,000
people voted in favor with a little more than 18,000 voting against.



     It remains to be seen whether marijuana reform will become a reality
any time in Massachusetts' immediate future, but at the very least, Epstein
likes the numbers he saw on election night.



     "Any candidate would be glad to have our margin of victory," says
Epstein. "I don't know when the members of the House and Senate have to
start paying attention to this. But I was telling the Republicans at my
polling places (Tuesday) that they would do a lot better if they would adopt
my position on marijuana."



     Perhaps, but considering that only two candidates actually responded to
a questionnaire that Epstein had sent out prior to the election asking
whether they would support marijuana reform, changing the state's policy may
be easier said than done.



     That said, Epstein knows the hard part may just be getting started.



     "We'll be in communication (with all the legislators)," says Epstein.
"We'll be in touch with all of them about hopefully getting them to sign on
to a bill."
_________________
Suggestion.  Start listening to your constituants or end up like the state
representatives in Vermont who were sent packing.

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