Pubdate: Sat, 12 Sep 2015
Source: Denver Post (CO)
Copyright: 2015 The Denver Post Corp
Contact:  http://www.denverpost.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/122
Author: Ricardo Baca

POT ADVOCATES LASH OUT OVER PULLED MEASURE

Supporters Argue for Social Use of Marijuana

After activists last week pulled a Denver marijuana initiative from 
the November ballot, other pro-legalization activists have lashed out 
at what they see as backpedaling by their likeminded colleagues.

Had the initiative passed, it would have allowed limited social 
marijuana use in businesses such as art galleries and bars.

The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws' lead 
counsel, Keith Stroup, called the move "embarrassing" in a scathing 
essay. Drug reform activists in Denver - some of whom had campaigned 
on behalf of the now-dead social use initiative - called the move 
"disappointing" and said they felt "lied to" and "used as a pawn in 
someone else's backroom dealings with the government."

Activists Mason Tvert and Brian Vicente, co-authors of Colorado's 
marijuana-legalizing Amendment 64 in 2012 and the primary voices 
behind the social use proposition, said they never misled their 
supporters, and that they were always planning on moving ahead with 
the consumption initiative until productive conversations with city 
government and the marijuana industry started to blossom.

"I actually had asked my boss for the ability to take two months of 
unpaid leave from (the Marijuana Policy Project) to run this campaign 
and had already spoken to some of our staff members about how we were 
going to account for my absence," said Tvert, communications lead at 
MPP. "We were very serious and still are very serious. This isn't over."

Tvert and Vicente announced their push for a social cannabis use 
initiative in mid-June, when they proposed allowing "adults 21 and 
older to consume marijuana in designated areas and venues," Tvert 
said at the time.

Denver's hospitality industry, however, balked, presenting a 
potential disconnect among some of the venues that would decide on 
hosting vaping, edibles consumption and outdoor cannabis smoking.

In August, the campaign submitted 10,700 petition signatures - more 
than twice as many as needed - to the Denver Elections office.

So supporters were surprised in early September when the social use 
activists pulled the measure one day before it was to be certified 
for this November's ballot. The advocates now say they wish to craft 
a compromise with city and business leaders.

"We're not approaching the withdrawal of this initiative lightly," 
Tvert said. "We believe that cannabis users deserve the freedom to 
congregate and socialize to the same extent as alcohol users."
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom