Maine voters OK medical pot law expansion

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AUGUSTA, Maine, Nov. 4 (UPI) -- A referendum to expand Maine's medical marijuana law won handily on Election Day.

With 86 percent of the precincts reporting, the measure was ahead 58 percent to 41 percent, the Bangor Daily News reported Wednesday.

The measure eases access to marijuana for individuals with certain medical conditions by expanding the list of qualifying conditions, creates a state-regulated registry of qualified users and allows for a statewide system of storefront distribution centers.

"This confirms what our polling has told us all along," said Jonathan Leavitt, campaign manager of Maine Citizens for Patient Rights. "The credibility of this issue is so strong, we didn't need to convince anyone that this was the right thing to do."

Kennebec County District Attorney Evert Fowle, also president of the state's prosecutors association, said the measure would be difficult to enforce.

"It's a very poor law," Fowle said. "This was written by self-proclaimed marijuana activists. ... The ultimate goal of the people behind this law is to legalize marijuana."

However, he said, "We'll do our best to make this law work and respect the will of the voters."