Pubdate: Sat, 07 Jan 2012
Source: Gazette, The (Colorado Springs, CO)
Copyright: 2012 The Gazette
Contact: http://www.gazette.com/sections/opinion/submitletter/
Website: http://www.gazette.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/165
Author: Barry Noreen
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/decrim.htm (Decrim/Legalization)

POT LEGALIZATION COMING TO A BALLOT NEAR YOU

Pot or Not?

Colorado voters will have a decision to make in November, when a 
constitutional amendment that would regulate marijuana much like 
alcohol will be on the ballot. At this early stage it would be fair 
to say it's too close to call, but pot legalization backers are 
organized, they've shown the ability to raise money and it appears 
being on the same ballot as a presidential election will benefit the measure.

Backers of the Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol submitted 
about 160,000 signatures to the secretary of state last week. They 
only need about half that many to be approved, so it's a 
near-certainty the measure will make the ballot.

"I think Colorado is ready to take this step," said Mason Tvert, who 
has organized marijuana-related campaigns in Denver and backed the 
medicinal pot movement.

A recent poll showed 49 percent of the voters support legalization 
and 40 percent are opposed. Such polls, taken a long time before an 
election when opposition has not yet organized, are not worth much. 
Yet Tvert is optimistic, saying "We have another 10 months to 
continue having this conversation."

There's going to be a debate, all right. The same law enforcement 
groups that have always opposed any form of legalized marijuana will 
oppose it again.

You're going to hear that marijuana still is an illegal substance as 
far as the federal government is concerned. You're going to hear that 
it is a gateway drug that leads to harder stuff.

Pot backers might ask you: "When was the last time you heard of a 
marijuana-crazed man beating up his wife?" Or: "does it make sense to 
turn people into criminals for possessing pot when it's clear alcohol 
is a much more dangerous drug?"

Under the proposal "adults would only be able to have small 
quantities, up to an ounce," explained Brian Vicente, a Denver 
attorney who has lobbied for medicinal pot and legalization for years.

If the measure passes, the legislature would be able to ask voters 
for an excise tax on marijuana of up to 15 percent. Another election 
would have to be held for that. As with alcohol, there would be 
different kinds of licenses, but none would be issued until January 2014.

Also similar to alcohol regulation, the new laws would be 
administered by the Colorado Department of Revenue. You'd have to be 
21 to buy pot and it would be subject to sales taxes. How much money 
that would bring in is hard to predict, although backers are already 
claiming it would be tens of millions.

It's less about tax revenue, though, than it is about doing the right 
thing. It's about time we turned the corner on this and ended pot 
prohibition, as we did with alcohol generations ago.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom