Fresh from a victory in Denver the group SAFER is planning a statewide initiative to legalize marijuana next fall, according to the Denver Post [December 28, 2005, "Pro-pot group seeks state vote"]. From the article, "Mason Tvert, SAFER's campaign director, declined Tuesday to give specifics of the campaign. The group would have to gather 67,829 signatures from registered voters to get the issue on the ballot. The effort drew sharp criticism from Colorado Attorney General John Suthers, who said it would have a drastic impact on law-enforcement efforts in the state. While federal authorities could still pursue large-scale marijuana trafficking, local and state law-enforcement authorities would be forced to change their practices if the measure passed, Suthers said...John Straayer, a professor of political science at Colorado State University, said he suspects supporters of legalizing possession of marijuana will have a harder time passing a statewide measure because many areas of the state are more culturally conservative than Denver. Still, he said, a libertarian strain among some conservatives could help draw support."
Here's the coverage from the Rocky Mountain News [December 28, 2005, "Pro-pot group aims at state law in '06"]. From the article, "Tvert said the statewide campaign is largely driven by frustration that Denver authorities, rejecting voter passage of local Initiative 100, continue to cite small-time marijuana violators under a state law that imposes a $200 fine for possession of an ounce or less. The initiative gives adults in Denver the right to privately possess that amount. 'Elected officials in Denver have been true to their word and completely ignored the will of the voters,' Tvert told the Rocky Mountain News on Tuesday. 'We only have one option left and that's to change state law.' Colorado Attorney General John Suthers said he welcomed a 'head-on, outright debate about legalization.' He expressed frustration with the state medical marijuana initiative passed by voters in 2000, saying: 'It was obviously advocated by legalization advocates, but they didn't want to take the issue on head-on.'"
Category: Denver November 2006 Election
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