midwestbluntman
11-16-2005, 03:54 PM
DENVER LEGALIZES MARIJUANA POSSESSION
by Christopher N. Osher, (Source:News Tribune)
Regional News
Colorado
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DENVER - Officials in Denver were looking to two West Coast cities for guidance after voters on Tuesday legalized possession of small amounts of marijuana.
Voters in Oakland, Calif., and Seattle earlier had approved similar initiatives that told police to make possession of small amounts of marijuana their lowest priority. Each city has responded differently.
In Seattle, the number of people prosecuted for pot possession has plummeted since that city's September 2003 initiative.
In 2003, Seattle prosecuted 178 people for possession of marijuana; in 2004, the prosecutions plunged to 59.
"I think someone, somewhere, someone along the chain of command got the message" in Seattle, said Andy Ko, director of the drug policy referendum project of the American Civil Liberties Union of Washington.
One outspoken opponent of the pro-marijuana initiative in Seattle, City Attorney Tom Carr, said his fears that marijuana usage would spike dramatically haven't materialized.
"We've had some silliness," he said. "One man was arrested for trying to sell brownies to a police officer, and someone wanted to host a smoke-in in a park, but for the most part, I haven't seen a drastic increase."
Arrests as usual in Oakland
Denver officials say the outcome will be more like Oakland, where police are ignoring a pro-marijuana measure voters approved last year. Oakland police continue to arrest people who use marijuana, say city officials and pro-marijuana proponents there.
Denver officials say the vast majority of drug prosecutions in Denver already are brought under state law, so police will continue to make arrests as usual.
The City Attorney's Office last year prosecuted 1,565 people last year under state law, which calls for a fine of not less than $100.
The city prosecuted 36 adults last year for marijuana possession under a separate city ordinance prohibiting marijuana use. That ordinance has a maximum penalty of up to a $1,000 fine and up to a year in jail, although milder penalties are the norm, said Assistant City Attorney David Broadwell.
Changing attitudes
Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper, meanwhile, said Tuesday's vote to legalize marijuana possession was a sign of the priorities of an increasingly young, educated population.
"It is indicative of the changing attitudes," he said, noting that because of its population, Denver might increasingly be on the "vanguard" of such issues.
The group Safer Alternative for Enjoyable Recreation, or SAFER, which pushed the Denver vote, says city officials will thwart the will of about 56,000 voters if they continue prosecutions.
"It's not whether they can do it, it's whether they will do it," said Mason Tvert, executive director of SAFER.
"Right now, there are city officials denying the will of voters who put them in office, and I think that's disturbing," he said.
MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin
Pubdate: Thu, 03 Nov 2005
Source: News Tribune, The (Tacoma, WA)
Copyright: 2005 Tacoma News Inc.
Contact: letters@thenewstribune.com
Website: http://www.thenewstribune.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/442
Author: Christopher N. Osher
Cited: SAFER http://www.saferchoice.org
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/props.htm (Ballot Initiatives)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?420 (Cannabis - Popular)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/decrim.htm (Decrim/Legalization)
by Christopher N. Osher, (Source:News Tribune)
Regional News
Colorado
-------
DENVER - Officials in Denver were looking to two West Coast cities for guidance after voters on Tuesday legalized possession of small amounts of marijuana.
Voters in Oakland, Calif., and Seattle earlier had approved similar initiatives that told police to make possession of small amounts of marijuana their lowest priority. Each city has responded differently.
In Seattle, the number of people prosecuted for pot possession has plummeted since that city's September 2003 initiative.
In 2003, Seattle prosecuted 178 people for possession of marijuana; in 2004, the prosecutions plunged to 59.
"I think someone, somewhere, someone along the chain of command got the message" in Seattle, said Andy Ko, director of the drug policy referendum project of the American Civil Liberties Union of Washington.
One outspoken opponent of the pro-marijuana initiative in Seattle, City Attorney Tom Carr, said his fears that marijuana usage would spike dramatically haven't materialized.
"We've had some silliness," he said. "One man was arrested for trying to sell brownies to a police officer, and someone wanted to host a smoke-in in a park, but for the most part, I haven't seen a drastic increase."
Arrests as usual in Oakland
Denver officials say the outcome will be more like Oakland, where police are ignoring a pro-marijuana measure voters approved last year. Oakland police continue to arrest people who use marijuana, say city officials and pro-marijuana proponents there.
Denver officials say the vast majority of drug prosecutions in Denver already are brought under state law, so police will continue to make arrests as usual.
The City Attorney's Office last year prosecuted 1,565 people last year under state law, which calls for a fine of not less than $100.
The city prosecuted 36 adults last year for marijuana possession under a separate city ordinance prohibiting marijuana use. That ordinance has a maximum penalty of up to a $1,000 fine and up to a year in jail, although milder penalties are the norm, said Assistant City Attorney David Broadwell.
Changing attitudes
Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper, meanwhile, said Tuesday's vote to legalize marijuana possession was a sign of the priorities of an increasingly young, educated population.
"It is indicative of the changing attitudes," he said, noting that because of its population, Denver might increasingly be on the "vanguard" of such issues.
The group Safer Alternative for Enjoyable Recreation, or SAFER, which pushed the Denver vote, says city officials will thwart the will of about 56,000 voters if they continue prosecutions.
"It's not whether they can do it, it's whether they will do it," said Mason Tvert, executive director of SAFER.
"Right now, there are city officials denying the will of voters who put them in office, and I think that's disturbing," he said.
MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin
Pubdate: Thu, 03 Nov 2005
Source: News Tribune, The (Tacoma, WA)
Copyright: 2005 Tacoma News Inc.
Contact: letters@thenewstribune.com
Website: http://www.thenewstribune.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/442
Author: Christopher N. Osher
Cited: SAFER http://www.saferchoice.org
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/props.htm (Ballot Initiatives)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?420 (Cannabis - Popular)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/decrim.htm (Decrim/Legalization)