Pubdate: Thu, 29 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 Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/decrim.htm (Decrim/Legalization) POT PROPONENTS GO FOR STATE BALLOT After Denver Legalization Win, Group Wants Colo. Voters to Weigh in 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. - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake