FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Tim Killian (206) 781-7716

Seattle, WA., USA (February 9, 1998) – Dr. Rob Killian, chairman of Citizens for Drug Policy Reform (CDPR), officially announced today his intent to file a strictly Medical Marijuana Initiative, to be presented to the people for the November 1998 ballot. The initiative will be modeled closely after Senate Bill 6271, which was sponsored by Senator Jeanne Kohl.

"We are seeking input from a broad range of constituencies," stated Dr. Killian. "those who sincerely want to move this issue forward are encouraged to contact us with their input." His organization, Citizens for Drug Policy Reform, has been working closely with Senator Kohl, as well as others, to guarantee that a solid initiative with wide support is presented. Senator Kohl's bill was stalled in the Senate Health and Long-term Care committee when Senator Alex Deccio, the committee chair, refused to act on the bill. "The legislature is out of step with the desire of the people to move this issue forward," observed Killian.

"We received a clear message following the failure of Initiative 685 that what the people want is a simple, straightforward bill that allows doctor's and patients the ability to make medical decisions regarding the use of marijuana, without the threat of arrest and prosecution," remarked Killian, "this is what they will get with our initiative."

Killian and CDPR plan to file their initiative within the next two weeks, following the completion of consensus building meetings involving a wide range of organizations and individuals. "We want input, we need to hear from interested parties as soon as possible," said Killian. CDPR can be reached by phone at 206-781-7716, or by email at "cdpr@eventure.com."

Suggest Additions/Amendments to the Initiative...
We are seeking input for our forth-coming initiative. We're using Senatore Jeanne Kohls bill as our model. If you would like to suggest amendments to her bill, please email those suggestions to us. Please understand that we intend to remain true to the language of the bill that she submitted to the legislature. Any changes suggested should not change the fundamental direction of the bill. We will compile input from many different sources to arrive at what we consider to be the best initiative to forward to the people. Submissions should fit on a single page, and be directed to the specific sections and language of Senator Kohl's bill. send submissions to cdpr@eventure.com