South Dakota Voters Say No To Medical Marijuana

For the second time in four years, South Dakota voters refused to pass a medical marijuana law, this time by a much wider margin.

With 603 of 791 precincts reporting Tuesday night, voters rejected Initiated Measure 13 by a 64 percent to 35 percent margin. A similar measure was defeated in 2006 by a much tighter 52 percent to 48 percent.

The final results with 100% of precincts reporting:

No 199,569 votes - 63.31%
Yes 115,649 votes - 36.69%

Measure 13 moved to legalize medical marijuana for people suffering from "debilitating medical conditions." Under the law, patients could receive recommendations for medical marijuana from a physician. They would then be required to register with the state. Patients could obtain medical marijuana only from state-registered "caregivers." Each "caregiver" could provide for no more than five patients.

Fourteen other states, including Colorado and Montana, have medical marijuana laws.

Proponents of Initiated Measure 13 said the measure would have been more restrictive than any other medical marijuana law in place, banning dispensaries and requiring patients to have long-term relationships with their physicians. But from the start, law enforcement officers in South Dakota argued that regulating the measure would prove nightmarish.

Maj. Brian Mueller with the Pennington County Sheriff's Department called the measure "ambiguous and confusing" and said it would have redirected critical law enforcement resources needed elsewhere.

He wasn't particularly surprised Tuesday night by the outcome. "I think a lot of people worked hard to get the truth ... out to the public," he said. "It's evident that people were listening."


More here:

http://cannabisculture.com/v2/content/2010/11/04/South-Dakota-Voters-Say-No-Medical-Marijuana

 

that actually sucks, so hard...woww....what is wrong with those folks?

 

ppl don't know what's good 4 them

 

I wonder if those people have ever watched a family member die slowly of a horrible disease. My father would have never asked for pot to ease his pain. Even in those last few miserable weeks and days he was much too hard headed to admit he needed that. But if he had what right would they have had to stop me from getting it for him?

Are they actually saying that the sick shouldn't be helped through their suffering because the police might have to work a little harder by not arresting as many people?

Let me say this as unambiguously as I can. [SHOUTING] MIND YOUR OWN FUCKING BUSINESS![/SHOUTING]

 

Jeez that is sad!! : (