DENVER LEGALIZES MARIJUANA 53% - 46%! Alcohol-Marijuana Equalization Initiative

[MORTARDUDE]

http://cannabisculture.com/articles/4570.html

DENVER LEGALIZES MARIJUANA 53% - 46%!
by CC Magazine update (01 Nov, 2005) Denver voters make adult possession of one ounce or less of marijuana legal.

Denver became the first city in the nation to make the private use of marijuana legal for adults 21 and older as an alternative to alcohol, a far more harmful drug. By 10.45 p.m. Tuesday night, with 100% of the votes tallied, the Alcohol-Marijuana Equalization Initiative had passed 53.49% YES to 46.51% NO.

The Alcohol-Marijuana Equalization Initiative is the first local measure in the nation to draw a comparison between the harms of alcohol and marijuana.

The successful I-100 campaign focused on the vast number of health, safety and social problems associated with alcohol use, promoting marijuana use to avoid the prevalence of such problems. The campaign pointed to government reports and scholarly studies that show alcohol is a contributing factor in domestic violence, sexual assaults, and other violent crimes, as well as overdose deaths, whereas the use of marijuana has never been linked to such violent behavior and there has never been a marijuana overdose death in history.


Colorado Medical Marijuana certificate
"It is time our laws reflect the facts, and it is an indisputable fact that marijuana is safer than alcohol, both to the user and to society," said Mason Tvert, executive director of SAFER and coordinator of the I-100 campaign. "Current laws accept and even encourage the use of alcohol over marijuana, thus pushing people toward using a more harmful substance. Why on earth would we prohibit an adult from making the rational, safer choice to use marijuana instead of alcohol in their own home?"

By approving the I-100, the use of marijuana in public, the use of marijuana by people under 21, driving under the influence of marijuana, and the cultivation and distribution of marijuana would all remain illegal, much like with alcohol.

Cannabis Culture will update this story as more details become available.

Safer Alternative For Enjoyable Recreation (SAFER) is a Colorado-based non-profit organization whose mission is to educate the public about the harmful consequences associated with alcohol, as compared to the safer ? yet illegal ? substance: marijuana.

Here is the language of the Initiative-100

Alcohol-Marijuana Equalization Initiative

WHEREAS, according to the National Institutes of Health, an average of 317 Americans die annually as the result of alcohol overdoses; and

WHEREAS, there has never been even a single fatal marijuana overdose recorded in the medical literature, as noted by the British Medical Journal in September 2003; and

WHEREAS, according to U.S. Department of Justice, ?About 3 million crimes occur each year in which victims perceive the offender to have been drinking at the time of the offense. Among those victims who provided information about the offender?s use of alcohol, about 35% of the victimizations involved an offender who had been drinking?; and

WHEREAS, extensive research, documented in official reports by the British government's Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs and the Canadian Senate Special Committee on Illegal Drugs, among others, shows that -- unlike alcohol -- marijuana use is not generally a cause of violence or aggressive behavior and in fact tends to reduce violence and aggression;

WHEREAS, it is the intent of this ordinance to have the private adult use and possession of marijuana treated in the same manner as the private adult use and possession of alcohol;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY AND COUNTY OF DENVER

__________________________________________________ ______________________

TEXT OF PROPOSED INITIATIVE
(proposed addition in all caps, underlined)

Amend Art. 5, Div. 3, Sec. 38-175 (Revised Municipal Code)

(a) It shall be unlawful for any person UNDER THE AGE OF TWENTY-ONE (21) to possess one (1) ounce or less of marihuana. If such person is under the age of eighteen (18) years of age at the time of the offense, no jail sentence shall be imposed and any fine imposed may be supplanted by treatment as required by the court.

[urbsdad6]

Don't Bogart that joint my friend, pass it over to me. (Who wrote that song anyway?)


Doc Urb

[Jerry D]

B.A.T. will become the Mandatory DUI check by the police if they suspect one is impaired in Denver since a balloon won't change colour without Alcohol and the distinctive oder won't be enough to cause an arrest with the new rules.

[revwardoc]

Rocky Mountain high, in Colorado!!!!

Artist: The Fraternity Of Man Lyrics
Song: Don't Bogart Me Lyrics

Don't bogart that joint, my friend
Pass it over to me.
Don't bogart that joint, my friend
Pass it over to me.

Roll another one
Just like the other one.
This one's burnt to the end
Come on and be a friend.

Don't bogart that joint, my friend
Pass it over to me.
Don't bogart that joint, my friend
Pass it over to me.

Ro-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-oll another one
Just like the other one.
You've been hanging on to it
And I sure would like a hit.

Don't bogart that joint, my friend
Pass it over to me.
Don't bogart that joint, my friend
Pass it over to me

[b3196]

Urbsdad6
The title is: Dont Bogart Me and its sung by Fraternity of Men......Great song!!!
Now all we gotta do is legalize gambling and prostitution and life will be great
Bob K

[DMZ-LT]

I am moving to Denver

[Andy]

Sorry John, State law trumps city ordinance, it?s still illegal, however it will be very interesting to see how the city cops respond to this law. Could a cop get punished for enforcing state law???

Isn?t it funny, until the 1920s marijuana was legal everywhere in the country. Then the federal representatives of 6 states pushed for a federal law against grass to help keep out Mexicans. One of those 6 states was Colorado. Wish those Southwestern folks would make up their minds. Think I?ll rent Reefer Madness and eat some brownies.

Bob, why is it old cops are the ones who are always for legalizing as much as possible? Is it the intelligence, experience, our love of the brotherhood of man? Wait that last one might just be a Massachusetts thing.

Stay healthy,
Andy

Don't think it should be legalized.

[Seascamp]

Two out of three isn?t bad, at least on the surface. County dependent, Nevada has gambling and prostitution but the toughest dope laws around, bar none. A bit curious to watch, but there is a north south street in State Line, South Lake Tahoe. On the west is California, on the East is Nevada. When the gamblers and revelers take a time-out, those so inclined, simply walk across the street; find an ever present merchant; make a purchase and party with MJ. That done, and its back across the street to whatever is happening there. Cal has MJ laws but I think they just blow on by them.

Gambling and prostitution are handicaps enough for small Nevada Counties to deal with and I can?t even imagine having to deal with various combinations of booze and dope plus the revelers. Big cities like Reno and Las Vegas could handle it well enough but around here, we no longer put buildings on curves and have an out sized County morgue to handle the sometimes overflow of ?guests?.

Some curious campaigner stats in Denver. What makes them think that booze and MJ don?t come to the same party and are usually inseparable? I have never seen any exclusivity about the scenario as one goes with the other like hand in glove. Personally, I don?t have any more issue with MJ than I would have with an 18 pack until the consumer turns into ?superman? or attempts to drive these alpine mountains. Then we get the grim reaper a calling and who knows who is going to get it next.

Sonny Bono found a high speed ponderosa pine a few miles from where I live but I don't know the circumstances as that was all very hush hush. Gots to watch out for them high speed pine trees that jump out at ya. Malevolent pine trees, boulders and cliffs take their grim toll around here.

Scamp

[b3196]

Scamp
I believe the headlines read
STATIONARY SKIER HIT BY SPEEDING PINE

Andy
Its a bitch trying to enforce a law that you'll never win at (Prostitution and gambling) Legalize it then tax the $hit out of it....Let the cops chase speeders
Bob K