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Party Promotes Loosening Marijuana Controls
3/30/09 |Northwest Arkansas Times| by Robin Mero



Arkansas Libertarians plan to propose the decriminalization of marijuana in 2010, according to a Sunday meeting in Fayetteville attended by the party's state chairman.

During the state convention in May, the three bestwritten amendments or referendums will be selected to move forward, Chairman Gerhard Langguth said.

About $100,000 and 80,000 signatures are needed to put a measure on the ballot, it was estimated.

The scope was less certain. A majority seemed to prefer a law eliminating penalties for a first offense involving one ounce of marijuana or less.

"Obviously we'd want to win, but it's not necessarily about winning - it's about changing perception. Marijuana use is safer than alcohol and tobacco use," said Ryan Denham, president of the Drug Policy Education Group, which recently polled Arkansans about their support of eliminating such penalties.

The group conducted an online survey of 436 voters in Arkansas. Participants were asked to consider that marijuana arrests would cost Arkansas taxpayers $77 million in 2007, based on the average arrest costing $10,400 for police, court and jail involvement. Based on that information, participants were asked if they would support or oppose a law eliminating such penalties.

Participants indicated whether their position was held somewhat or strongly, and 53 percent were in support. A majority of Democrats and independents supported, but a majority of Republicans strongly opposed.

Denham, who is not a registered Libertarian, attended the meeting to help brainstorm and gauge support. He said he was the campaign director for Sensible Fayetteville, which successfully supported a 2008 initiative making marijuana misdemeanor offenses a low priority for law enforcement.

Legalizing the regulation of industrial hemp may also be a goal, the group agreed.