posted on November 3, 2005 02:33:07 PM new
Denver pot issue passes by thin margin
By Christopher N. Osher
Denver Post Staff Writer
Denver residents Tuesday voted to legalize possession of small amounts of marijuana, but the state attorney general said the vote was irrelevant because state law will still be enforced.
The measure passed 54 percent to 46 percent.
"It just goes to show the voters of Denver are fed up with a law that prohibits adults from making a rational, safer choice to use marijuana instead of alcohol," said Mason Tvert, executive director of Safer Alternative for Enjoyable Recreation, or SAFER.
The measure will change the city's ordinance to make it legal for adults 21 and older to possess up to an ounce of marijuana in the city.
Denver follows the city of Oakland, which last year voted to make marijuana possession its lowest enforcement priority and required the city to develop a plan for licensing and taxing the sale, use and cultivation of marijuana for private use. Voters in Telluride Tuesday defeated a similar measure.
Denver is "the second major city in less than a year to pass a vote which says that marijuana should be treated essentially like alcohol, taxed and regulated," said Bruce Mirken, the director of communications for the Washington, D.C.-based Marijuana Policy Project, one of the largest groups opposing jail time for the use of pot. "This has been characterized as a fringe issue, and clearly it's not."
Even though voters approved Initiative 100, Denver police still will bring charges under state law, which carries a fine of up to $100 and a mandatory $100 drug-offender surcharge for possession of small amounts of marijuana, said Attorney General John Suthers.
"I have found these efforts to be unconstructive," Suthers said.
"I understand the debate about legalization and whether our drug laws are constructive. But I wish we would have a full-out debate instead of these peripheral issues that accomplish just about nothing," he said.
Tvert said marijuana supporters will push for a statewide initiative that would allow ...
posted on November 3, 2005 05:10:02 PM new
::So how are they going to tax and regulate it? Sounds crazy me to just make it legal in one city and at least not the entire state.::
They are not trying to tax or regulate it, just be realistic about it. As a statewide measure it would never pass. The bigger cities like Denver and Boulder may be more open and progressive but they are surrounded by very conservative towns like Co Springs which is the home and playground of "Focus on the Family". Colorado is a wierd state. Their two best known cities are liberal but the state as a whole runs conservative.
Here is a good one for you - Both the Denver mayor and the Colorado Gov are considered possible presidential candiates in 08. The are great friends that have worked together to pass a number of different measures thru the state. Of course the fun part is that Mayor Higgenlooper is a Dem and Govenor Owens is Republican.
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An intelligent deaf-mute is better than an ignorant person who can speak.
posted on November 3, 2005 06:56:17 PM new
You know once they legalize one drug, they will want to legalize them all. It will be the end of the world as we know it.
Isn't that the mantra of the Republican party.
Absolute faith has been shown, consistently, to breed intolerance. And intolerance, history teaches us, again and again, begets violence.
---------------------------------- The duty of a patriot in this time and place is to ask questions, to demand answers, to understand where our nation is headed and why. If the answers you get do not suit you, or if they frighten you, or if they anger you, it is your duty as a patriot to dissent. Freedom does not begin with blind acceptance and with a flag. Freedom begins when you say 'No.'
posted on November 4, 2005 06:42:53 AM newDenver residents Tuesday voted to legalize possession of small amounts of marijuana, but the state attorney general said the vote was irrelevant because state law will still be enforced.
This happens a lot more than most people might realize. It's just like the Federal laws 'trumping' state laws....Fed. law wins.
posted on November 4, 2005 07:15:41 AM new
Don’t bogart that joint, my friend. pass it over to me.
A couple more hits of late,
Hilary will look good in 08.
