Marijuana Makes It On The Ballot

They are called NORML, a pro-marijuana group in Fayetteville. They are hoping to make marijuana arrests in Eureka Springs a low priority. After a failed attempt to get enough signatures in Fayetteville, NORML, turned their attention to a smaller community, Eureka Springs. And after only a few months, NORML says they got enough signatures-about 8 percent of registered voters- to put an initiative on the November 7 election ballot that would make marijuana arrests a low priority for the police department. NORML says they think the police should concentrate their efforts on violent crimes. KNWA talked to the Eureka Springs Police Chief Earl Wyatt, "The cities can not pass laws that contradict with state and federal laws." Chief Wyatt said since the federal and state law has placed marijuana as a scheduled control substance, the cities can not lessen that law and it wont have an impact on the Eureka Police Department and their procedures. While NORML says they know their initiative isn`t binding by the police department, they look at it as a recommendation. Under Arkansas law, if you are caught with under an ounce of marijuana its considered a misdemeanor, over an ounce its a felony. NORML claims re-prioritizing marijuana arrests has been successful in other cities, most recently in Columbia, Missouri.