The marijuana legalization initiative on November's ballot in Colorado, Amendment 64, is currently ahead in the polls. Opponents of this initiative have been on the attack in recent weeks claiming the initiative is bad for young people in Colorado. Contrary to arguments by the defenders of the status quo, current marijuana policy in Colorado fails young people and is indefensible. There are 13,000 arrests or tickets for marijuana possession in Colorado each year. Nationally, 90 percent of marijuana arrests are for young people 18-30. The typical demographic of a marijuana user is that people will experiment with marijuana when they are young, but as they get older, and get a mortgage, and have kids, use tapers off. So far from protecting young people, the war against marijuana is actually a war on young people. [continues 502 words]
I am writing to express my gratitude to the voters of the town of Breckenridge for passing the sensible reform of removing criminal penalties for less than an ounce of marijuana last month. It was an overwhelming victory for common sense amidst the typical hysteria of those who fear a substance that is less harmful than alcohol. Despite this victory, the road to full legalization in Colorado remains extremely challenging. Voters need to hold their elected officials accountable for their positions on marijuana. That means the Breckenridge Town Council, State Sen. Gibbs and State Rep. Scanlan, and our U.S. Rep. Polis need to hear from you on changing state and federal laws. I intend to monitor the actions of the town and county police and inform the public if their actions are contrary to the clear will of the voters. [continues 234 words]
Remove Criminal Penalties For Adults Possessing Small Amounts Of Marijuana If the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over expecting a different result, then our current marijuana policies are insane. This country has waged a multi-billion dollar annual war on marijuana with no meaningful results. The only thing the war on marijuana has produced is misery: criminalizing the 20 million Americans who have been arrested for simple possession since 1965, causing lost jobs, lost student loans, denied housing, and a loss of tax revenue from refusing to regulate this market. It's time to end the madness. [continues 510 words]
Sensible Breckenridge appreciates the input of the Summit Prevention Alliance (SPA). Sensible Breckenridge strongly agrees that youth should not have access to marijuana. That's why the Breckenridge initiative makes it clear that marijuana is illegal for anyone under 21. Moreover, it is already a felony under state law to provide minors with marijuana, and Sensible Breckenridge supports that important law to protect youth. The Breckenridge initiative changes nothing in relation to youth, and any attempt to portray it otherwise is misleading. %pD As a parent of a 15-year-old high school student, it is clear to me that prohibition has harmed our kids. National studies show that high school students find marijuana easier to get than alcohol. The obvious reason for this difference is that people must show an ID to get alcohol. Drug dealers don't take IDs. Contrary to the myth that marijuana is a gateway drug, prohibition itself is the gateway because people looking for marijuana on the black market are exposed to other harder drugs from unscrupulous drug dealers. [continues 154 words]
The article, "Breck group files to change marijuana laws" (Summit Daily, June 13) states the obvious. Of course the police chief and the DEA oppose decriminalizing marijuana. Taxpayers spend at least $14 billion per year on marijuana prohibition to fund the extra law enforcement it takes to criminalize marijuana users. It is not a surprise the DEA and others who earn their living off of marijuana prohibition oppose reform. Opponents of reform always claim they are doing it for the "youth," when the youth are the biggest victims of marijuana prohibition. The only way to truly protect our youth from any harms of marijuana is to regulate it, control it, and honestly educate our youth about it. According to the Center for Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University, teens here report it is easier to obtain marijuana than alcohol or cigarettes. In countries that have regulated marijuana, such as Holland, marijuana use for youth is half of what is in the United States. The current policy has not worked and it's time for something new. [continues 127 words]
As a local criminal defense attorney, small business person, and environmentalists, I have many thoughts on this year's election issues. Vote yes on Amendment 44, the state spends around $85 million per year arresting 13,000 people and incarcerating another few hundred per year on marijuana charges. Our courts are clogged with drug cases while our state is last in the nation in public funding of drug treatment. Stopping this waste of resources on nonviolent people who do no harm to others is a good first step. [continues 155 words]
We applaud The Denver Post for continuing its strong support of drug policy reform with its editorial calling for the legalization, regulation, and taxation of marijuana. We are proud to announce the recent formation of a new non-profit organization, Sensible Colorado, dedicated to ending the failed policies of unregulated marijuana prohibition and the unproductive approach to other drug use in Colorado. Both Nevada and Alaska will have citizen's initiatives on the ballot this November calling for the regulation and taxation of marijuana. [continues 225 words]
