Pubdate: Mon, 14 Aug 2006 Source: Daily Sentinel, The (Grand Junction, CO) Copyright: 2006 Cox Newspapers, Inc. Contact: http://www.gjsentinel.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2084 Author: Mike Saccone, The Daily Sentinel Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Marijuana) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/decrim.htm (Decrim/Legalization) VOTERS MAY HAVE SAY ON POT'S LEGALITY When Lori Fickey was cited for possessing less than an ounce of marijuana Thursday, she said she was not doing anything dangerous and was hardly a threat to other people. Fickey, 24, of Grand Junction, who was ticketed after an officer searched her truck outside a restaurant on North Avenue and discovered a small amount of marijuana, said she thought it was absurd that possession of miniscule amounts of "an herb" in Colorado is even a crime. "It shouldn't be illegal," she said. "You have people out there who do things with alcohol. That's where you see most of your crime." Come November, Colorado voters will likely have a chance to agree or discount Fickey's sentiment that there's nothing wrong with responsible use of marijuana. A ballot measure pending approval by the Colorado Secretary of State's office would, if passed, modify the state's drug laws and allow adults 21 and over to legally possess an ounce or less of marijuana. The ballot measure would not affect any other marijuana law. Currently, possession of an ounce or less of marijuana is a class 2 petty offense, punishable by a fine of up to $100. An analysis of the ballot initiative, compiled by the state's Legislative Council staff, reports that there were roughly 3,700 convictions last year for possession of an ounce or less of marijuana. According to the records division at the Grand Junction Police Department, there were 378 petty, 15 misdemeanor and 21 felony citations involving marijuana within the city limits last year. So far this year, the department has recorded 217 petty offenses, 14 misdemeanor and 14 felony incidents involving marijuana. Based on the police statistics obtained by The Daily Sentinel, it was unclear how many of the reported petty offenses involved an ounce or less of marijuana. Mesa County District Attorney Pete Hautzinger said he could see "no good reason" to decriminalize possession of less than an ounce of marijuana. Hautzinger said while he had initially questioned assertions that marijuana was just as powerful a "gateway drug" as cocaine, barbiturates or amphetamines early in his career, his experiences now have shown him that marijuana offenses are usually paired with more serious crimes. "In the last couple years -- more on anecdotal than statistical evidence -- I've become convinced of marijuana's effect," Hautzinger said. "Practically every case I have seen come across my desk, as elected DA, that has involved marijuana has involved methamphetamine. It's rare that we see just marijuana possession cases anymore." Hautzinger said the ballot measure's supporters also are mistaken when they assert that police have more pressing matters to pursue than enforcing marijuana possession laws. "Outside of marijuana dealing we aren't directing resources at combating the drug," Hautzinger said. "We're not sending officers out door to door to find people smoking a joint." Hautzinger said the marijuana charges are usually part and parcel of larger cases. If any reforms are going to be made, Hautzinger said they need to be passed at the federal level. He said state-level reforms like the proposed ballot measure -- especially when marijuana use is so closely tied to methamphetamine cases -- are simply not good policy. - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake