Looks like we are finally learning... Denver Voters OK mar1juana Possession By JON SARCHE, Associated Press Writer Wed Nov 2, 7:40 AM ET Residents of the Mile High City have voted to legalize the possession of small amounts of mar1juana for adults. Authorities, though, said state possession laws will be applied instead. With 100 percent of precincts reporting early Wednesday, 54 percent, or 56,001 voters, cast ballots for the ordinance, while 46 percent, or 48,632 voters, voted against it. Under the measure, residents over 21 years old could possess up to an ounce of mar1juana. "We educated voters about the facts that mar1juana is less harmful to the user and society than alcohol," said Mason Tvert, campaign organizer for SAFER, or Safer Alternatives For Enjoyable Recreation. "To prohibit adults from making the rational, safer choice to use mar1juana is bad public policy." Bruce Mirken of the Washington, D.C.-based mar1juana Policy Project said he hoped the approval will launch a national trend toward legalizing a drug whose enforcement he said causes more problems than it cures. Seattle, Oakland, Calif., and a few college towns already have laws making possession the lowest law enforcement priority. The Denver proposal seemed to draw at least as much attention for supporters' campaign tactics as it did for the question of legalizing the drug. Tvert argued that legalizing mar1juana would reduce consumption of alcohol, which he said leads to higher rates of car accidents, domestic and street violence and crime. The group criticized Mayor John Hickenlooper for opposing the proposal, noting his ownership of a popular brewpub. It also said recent violent crimes — including the shootings of four people last weekend — as a reason to legalize mar1juana to steer people away from alcohol use. Those tactics angered local officials and some voters. Opponents also said it made no sense to prevent prosecution by Denver authorities while mar1juana charges are most often filed under state and federal law. The measure would not affect the medical mar1juana law voters approved in 2000. In June, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that medical mar1juana laws in Colorado and nine other states would not protect licensed users from federal prosecution. Also Tuesday, voters in the ski resort town of Telluride rejected a proposal to make possession of an ounce or less of mar1juana by people 18 or older the town's lowest law enforcement priority. The measure was rejected on a vote of 308-332. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051102...GbtmiKs0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTA3ODdxdHBhBHNlYwM5NjQ-
much ado about nothing. this is a city ordinance. state law and federal law still make possession of mar1juana illegal.
Denver police officers may stop being the lap dog to the state and federal lackies. This sets their priority. Is this country going to pot or what?
I agree with Max, this is a symbolic gesture. One would hope that if a Denver city cop pulls someone over and does a check and finds less than an ounce of weed that they will just give it back like they would cigarettes and move along with more importatnt business. That's progress to me.
If I may... It is the same as the Californian Medical mar1juana cases. The state allows you to grow it or obtain for personal medical use only. So the state is not going to bust you for it because they don't hold it to be against the law. However, the federal government still has laws against it so if they catch you, you're toast. Federal law supersedes state law that supersedes city law. I would bet that a county cop that pulls a Denver resident will still bust him under the county laws.
I don't know about universally, but I do believe it might be the solution to the Arab-Israeli conflict
Methinks John Carter believes that you are discriminating against Martians. Uncle Martian is also vey upset.
Actually not true. There are not enough Feds to even begin to enforce mar1juana laws at the local level.
plus its not like the fbi pulls you over. and from my experiences state troopers are also fairly rare. so in daily affairs its usually municipal police that you deal with and hence as long as they dont do anything about it most people should be safe.
'Real' action often starts with the symbolic. Its good to see the citizenry of Denver making their opinions known. It doesn't overturn state or federal laws, but its a solid step down that path. AggieRocket, I couldn't agree more.
Isn't this more comparable to cities around the country making a 'symbolic protest' by rejecting the PATRIOT Act?
