From KMGH ABC 7:
Voters Will Likely Decide Whether To Legalize Pot Statewide
DENVER -- Voters could be deciding on whether to legalize marijuana
statewide this fall.
Members of the group Safer Alternative For Enjoyable Recreation dropped off
129,000 signatures at the Secretary of State's office Monday morning. The
signatures of 68,000 registered Colorado voters have to be verified before
the measure can be placed on the ballot.
"The fact that we collected nearly twice as many signatures as are
required under statute highlights the widespread support for ending the madness of marijuana prohibition in Colorado," said SAFER Campaign Director Mason Tvert.
The measure, if approved by voters, would make possession of one ounce of marijuana legal in Colorado for those 21 or older.
SAFER helped get a similar measure on last fall's ballot that made the same
amount of marijuana legal in Denver. Initiative 100 was approved by a
majority of Denver voters and made the city the first in the country to vote
to remove all penalties for private adult marijuana possession.
However, state authorities had said Denver's Initiative-100 was virtually
meaningless because of state and federal laws that make even small amounts
of marijuana illegal.
Tvert said even though Denver voters had expressed their opinion that a
small pinch of pot should be legal, people were still being arrested and
prosecuted under state law and he wants that to stop.
The statewide proposal would get rid of the state's prohibition of marijuana
and allow cities to make the rules about pot use.
"Last year's victory in Denver clearly demonstrated the support we're
receiving in the state Capitol," Tvert said. "But tens of thousands
of signatures poured in from Colorado Springs, Grand Junction and other areas
of the state outside the Front Range. This just goes to show that regardless
of Colorado citizens' political persuasions, many agree that punishing
adults for using a substance less harmful than alcohol is an absurd waste of
time, money and life."
The state's attorney general, John Suthers, does not buy the argument that
pot is safer. He and the governor feel the measure would be defeated in the
fall. Colorado House Speaker Andrew Romanoff -- a Denver Democrat -- oppose changing the state law. He thinks drug use in the state is already too high and said the matter would wind up in the courts.
Voters Will Likely Decide Whether To Legalize Pot Statewide
DENVER -- Voters could be deciding on whether to legalize marijuana
statewide this fall.
Members of the group Safer Alternative For Enjoyable Recreation dropped off
129,000 signatures at the Secretary of State's office Monday morning. The
signatures of 68,000 registered Colorado voters have to be verified before
the measure can be placed on the ballot.
"The fact that we collected nearly twice as many signatures as are
required under statute highlights the widespread support for ending the madness of marijuana prohibition in Colorado," said SAFER Campaign Director Mason Tvert.
The measure, if approved by voters, would make possession of one ounce of marijuana legal in Colorado for those 21 or older.
SAFER helped get a similar measure on last fall's ballot that made the same
amount of marijuana legal in Denver. Initiative 100 was approved by a
majority of Denver voters and made the city the first in the country to vote
to remove all penalties for private adult marijuana possession.
However, state authorities had said Denver's Initiative-100 was virtually
meaningless because of state and federal laws that make even small amounts
of marijuana illegal.
Tvert said even though Denver voters had expressed their opinion that a
small pinch of pot should be legal, people were still being arrested and
prosecuted under state law and he wants that to stop.
The statewide proposal would get rid of the state's prohibition of marijuana
and allow cities to make the rules about pot use.
"Last year's victory in Denver clearly demonstrated the support we're
receiving in the state Capitol," Tvert said. "But tens of thousands
of signatures poured in from Colorado Springs, Grand Junction and other areas
of the state outside the Front Range. This just goes to show that regardless
of Colorado citizens' political persuasions, many agree that punishing
adults for using a substance less harmful than alcohol is an absurd waste of
time, money and life."
The state's attorney general, John Suthers, does not buy the argument that
pot is safer. He and the governor feel the measure would be defeated in the
fall. Colorado House Speaker Andrew Romanoff -- a Denver Democrat -- oppose changing the state law. He thinks drug use in the state is already too high and said the matter would wind up in the courts.
anyways, i'll be voting in november mos def, and ya'll know which way i'll be swinging.
