Pubdate: Fri, 20 Dec 2013
Source: Westword (Denver, CO)
Column: Ask A Stoner
Copyright: 2013 Village Voice Media
Contact: http://www.westword.com/feedback/EmailAnEmployee?department=letters
Website: http://www.westword.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1616
Author: William Breathes

DENVER FINDS A "SOLUTION" TO THE "PROBLEM" OF SMOKING ON PRIVATE PROPERTY

Dear Stoner: The recent issue about whether people can smoke in 
public view, like on personal patios or balconies, has me a little 
confused and irritated. Non-smokers say smoking pot in public view is 
dangerous to families and might influence children the "wrong way," 
but I feel that cigarettes are so much worse. I absolutely hate 
cigarette smoke, and it's harmful even as secondhand smoke. Why is it 
such an issue about pot but not about cigarettes? Mack

Dear Mack: It's an issue because politicians want to make it an 
issue. While most cities in Colorado aren't even touching this 
subject - they realize it's a neighbor issue and not a police matter 
- - Denver City Council decided outdoor pot smoking in the privacy of 
your own property was worth spending several weeks discussing. But it 
wasn't about actual complaints; if it were, I'm sure that cigarette 
smoke would have been part of the discussion, along with all sorts of 
other things that people perceive as a nuisance, like stinky rose 
gardens and piles of stinky dog poop that your neighbor only cleans 
up once a month.

Instead, Denver City Council made up a problem of people smoking 
cannabis in view of others on their property so that they could then 
make up a solution and pat themselves on the backs for a job well 
done. Thankfully, they made the right decision, but the reality is 
that neighbors should talk to neighbors if there's a problem instead 
of calling the police to solve it - whether it's the wafting skunky 
smoke of cannabis or the rank stank of a cigarette.

Dear Stoner: In regard to your December 5 column, about carrying pot 
on airplanes, according to federal aviation regulations, if a pilot 
knows illegal drugs are on the aircraft and operates said aircraft, 
he is in violation of the federal aviation law. In typical FAA 
fashion, the regulation is worded so that the interpretation of it is 
not clear and may be tweaked depending on the circumstances. This is 
not a criticism of your response, only an effort to point out that, 
like many things in the pot issue, there are unknown variables. I am 
confident that the moneychangers will soon realize that good old 
American capitalism will become the ruling principle in this issue 
and will gleefully accept and spend any funds they can accumulate as 
a result of legalization and taxation. But after a lifetime of 
interacting with the FAA, I am still searching for any signs of 
common sense. RK Phil

Dear RK: Thanks for the insight. Don't strain yourself, though: 
There's no common sense to be found anywhere at the federal level 
when it comes to marijuana policy.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom