If a group of marijuana proponents
has its way, Colorado
adults will be able to legally possess
small amounts of marijuana.
The organization Safer Alternative
for Enjoyable Recreation,
or SAFER, announced
during a news conference in
front of the state Capitol on
Wednesday that it plans to
build on its recent successful
Denver campaign.
In October, the group persuaded
Denver voters to
change a city ordinance to
make it legal for people 21 or older
to possess 1 ounce or less of
marijuana. But Denver and
state police continue to cite individuals
under state law.
The group now wants to put
the same question on November’s
statewide ballot.
“If the officials in this city
don’t have the guts to stand up
for the individuals they represent,
we have no choice but to
take up the fight on behalf of
those individuals,” said Mason
Tvert, SAFER’s director.
The group will need nearly
68,000 signatures from registered
voters to get the issue on
the statewide ballot, but Tvert
said the group garnered more
than double that many signatures
when it pushed the Denver
initiative.
Tvert stressed that even if the
statewide effort succeeds, cities
and towns in Colorado still
would have the ability to fine or
penalize marijuana users by imposing
local laws. It also would
remain illegal for people to publicly
display marijuana.
“The notion of prohibiting
the use of marijuana while allowing
and even encouraging
the use of alcohol is not rational
on any level of government,”
Tvert said.
Staff writer Christopher N.
Osher can be reached at
303-820-1747 or
cosher@denverpost.com.
