From: tuco@frontiernet.net   
      
   LAS VEGAS - A group seeking to legalize small amounts of marijuana in Nevada   
   filed paperwork Tuesday that would compel state lawmakers to take up the   
   issue during next year's legislative session.   
      
   The Committee to Regulate and Control Marijuana has filed 84,665 signatures   
   in five counties. They need a minimum of 51,337 signatures of registered   
   voters to qualify.   
      
   "The marijuana regulation initiative makes sense because it gives society   
   control over marijuana, while our current prohibition policies keep   
   marijuana completely uncontrolled," Rob Kampia, executive director of the   
   Marijuana Policy Project in Washington, D.C., said in a statement.   
      
   Kampia was in Las Vegas to turn in signatures and help promote the Nevada   
   initiative, which would legalize possession of up to 1 ounce of marijuana by   
   adults in the state.   
      
   If the signatures are verified, state lawmakers would have to consider   
   passing it during the first 40 days of the 2005 session. If they don't, it   
   automatically goes on the 2006 ballot.   
      
   Larry Sandell with the Committee to Regulate and Control Marijuana said the   
   group doesn't expect the Legislature to pass the initiative but hopes a   
   discussion of the issue will help its cause.   
      
   "It's . important for the Legislature to have this debate before it goes to   
   the people," Sandell said. "It will help bring more light to the issue and   
   legitimize it."   
      
   The group failed to get the required signatures needed to qualify for the   
   Nov. 2 ballot. Group officials said the petition would have qualified if a   
   federal judge had allowed about 2,000 signatures of newly registered voters   
   whose information had not been immediately forwarded to election registrars.   
      
   The committee appealed to the 9th Circuit Court but lost on a 2-1 panel   
   vote, and their request for a rehearing before the full court was refused.   
      
   Pro-marijuana group takes issue to lawmakers   
      
   Nevada voters have approved the use of marijuana for medical reasons but in   
   2002 overwhelmingly rejected the measure to legalize up to 3 ounces of   
   marijuana.   
      
   The latest plan would increase penalties for providing marijuana to minors   
   or for causing a fatal accident while driving under the influence of the   
   substance. Sale of marijuana would be taxed, and revenue would be earmarked   
   for drug and alcohol treatment and education programs.   
      
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