Pubdate: Wed, 28 Dec 2005
Source: Denver Post (CO)
Copyright: 2005 The Denver Post Corp
Contact:  http://www.denverpost.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/122
Author: Christopher N. Osher, Denver Post Staff Writer
Cited: Safer Alternative for Enjoyable Recreation http://www.safercolorado.org
Cited: Marijuana Policy Project http://www.mpp.org
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/decrim.htm (Decrim/Legalization)

PRO-POT GROUP SEEKS STATE VOTE

SAFER Will Pursue Ballot Initiative for November

Just two months after persuading Denver voters to legalize possession 
of small amounts of marijuana, proponents today will announce plans 
for a similar statewide initiative.

The group Safer Alternative for Enjoyable Recreation, or SAFER, will 
hold a news conference in front of the state Capitol today to 
announce its filing of a proposed 2006 statewide ballot initiative.

Mason Tvert, SAFER's campaign director, declined Tuesday to give 
specifics of the campaign. The group would have to gather 67,829 
signatures from registered voters to get the issue on the ballot.

The effort drew sharp criticism from Colorado Attorney General John 
Suthers, who said it would have a drastic impact on law-enforcement 
efforts in the state. While federal authorities could still pursue 
large-scale marijuana trafficking, local and state law-enforcement 
authorities would be forced to change their practices if the measure 
passed, Suthers said.

"On this statewide ballot initiative, law enforcement will weigh in 
significantly to say what a bad policy legalization would be," Suthers said.

While supporters of the initiative argue that marijuana is a benign 
drug that is safe compared with alcohol, Suthers said marijuana is 
addictive and could snare adolescents in more harmful behavior.

"If you want to have a debate for legalization of marijuana, then 
let's have a full-out debate, which I think this initiative will 
engender," Suthers said.

Nevada voters will face a similar ballot initiative next November 
that seeks to have marijuana taxed and regulated like alcohol.

Only two other states - Alaska and Nevada - have seen such 
initiatives since 2000, said Bruce Mirken, spokesman for the 
Marijuana Policy Project. Both of those initiatives were defeated, 
although they drew more support than past efforts, he said.

Denver residents in November passed Initiative 100 by 54 percent to 
46 percent. The measure changed the city's ordinance to make it legal 
for adults age 21 and older to possess up to an ounce of marijuana in 
the city. Denver and state police continue to cite individuals in the 
city under state law.

In Denver, SAFER ran a provocative campaign. It tried to draw Mayor 
John Hickenlooper into the fray by labeling him a hypocrite for 
selling alcohol in his brewpubs when he opposed the effort to 
legalize marijuana.

SAFER also drew fire from domestic-violence groups and eventually 
pulled a controversial billboard that showed a battered woman and her 
abuser with the slogan "Reduce family and community violence in 
Denver. Vote Yes on I-100."

John Straayer, a professor of political science at Colorado State 
University, said he suspects supporters of legalizing possession of 
marijuana will have a harder time passing a statewide measure because 
many areas of the state are more culturally conservative than Denver.

Still, he said, a libertarian strain among some conservatives could 
help draw support.

"I would bet 100 bucks it wouldn't pass," Straayer said. "But I 
wouldn't put my mortgage on the line." 
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake