Should the possession of less than an ounce of marijuana be legalized in the state of Colorado? Proponents of Colorado Amendment 44 say "yes." They believe marijuana should carry a similar relationship to the law that alcohol does, in part because they believe marijuana is less harmful than alcohol.

Opponents of Amendment 44 disagree, and worry that legalizing possession of marijuana would make pot more accessible for those under the age of 21.

But come Nov. 7, it will be up to voters on the issue that has already been given a big "nay" by members of the University of Colorado Intercampus Student Forum (ICSF).

[continues 737 words]

If Coloradans vote to legalize marijuana statewide next week, it will be almost entirely because of the efforts of a pudgy, clean-shaven 24-year-old University of Richmond graduate.

Mason Tvert, campaign manager for Safer Alternatives for Enjoyable Recreation, has pushed Colorado to the forefront of the marijuana movement, first with his successful 2004 Denver campaign and now with the statewide Amendment 44.

The amendment would allow people 21 and older to possess up to 1 ounce of marijuana for personal use. If approved, it would make Colorado the first state to decriminalize marijuana.

[continues 394 words]

Coloradans appear ready to ban gay marriage while endorsing legal benefits for same-sex couples, but a new poll shows the state is not willing to legalize marijuana.

Residents also support requiring school districts to spend 65 percent of their budgets on instruction that directly affects students, the poll shows.

With the election just nine days out and early voting already underway, the poll of 625 registered voters gives a glimpse of how the state is likely to vote on four of the more contested ballot questions.

[continues 716 words]

Backers of 44 Lose Control

Amendment 44 backers would like your vote to legalize possession of up to an ounce of marijuana. And if you disagree, they expect you to shut up about it.

That, in a nutshell, is the message that members of Safer Alternative for Enjoyable Recreation (SAFER), who back Amendment 44, dispensed Friday at the Capitol when they tried to shout down some of the state's top law enforcement officers and the governor.

The group that included Gov. Bill Owens, Attorney General John Suthers and Park County Sheriff Fred Wegener had a permit to gather on the west steps of the Capitol to oppose the marijuana initiative. But that wasn't good enough for SAFER. Its members became progressively more raucous as the event went on, until by the time Suthers spoke his voice was nearly buried in the din.

[continues 148 words]

They weren't mellow or takin' it easy when Gov. Bill Owens talked on the Capitol steps Friday morning in opposition to a statewide ballot measure seeking to legalize marijuana possession.

About 50 people of all ages shouted him down as he and Attorney General John Suthers cited statistics declaring pot dangerous.

"Ladies and gentlemen, this is a sad day for Colorado," Owens said. And then he had to repeat what he said over the chant, "What do we want? A safer choice. When do we want it? Now."

[continues 272 words]

DENVER - Legalizing small amounts of marijuana in Colorado will lead to increased drug trafficking in the state, law enforcement officials said Wednesday.

That, at least, was the message Pueblo Police Chief James Billings Jr. and other ranking officers from across the state conveyed at an anti-Amendment 44 press conference on the west steps of the Colorado Capitol Building.

Because the initiative on this year's ballot would allow Coloradans to possess less than an ounce of marijuana - but would still leave it illegal to grow, purchase or sell - means people would have to break the law in order to possess the weed.

[continues 579 words]

The scene might've been something Gov. Bill Owens would envision in a bad dream - or in this case, maybe a bad drug trip.

Protestors of all ages - most dressed in green, waving signs and chanting loud enough to drown out what he said - stood on the capitol steps Friday morning to support the legalization of marijuana while mocking Owens.

The Republican governor lined up with Attorney General John Suthers and about a dozen law enforcement officials to explain why they thought the statewide ballot measure was a bad idea.

[continues 817 words]

Last week we all received the "little blue book" from the Legislative Council for the state of Colorado. This allows us to thoroughly study the ballot issues prior to going to the polls on Nov. 7.

In the process of reviewing all of the ballot issues, I learned some about Amendment 44 -- Marijuana Possession. What I would like to know is: Who is responsible for writing this proposed amendment?

Taking a look at the details, I learned the following from the text out of the "Analysis of the 2006 Ballot Proposals":

[continues 545 words]

Local youths participate in essay, poster contests in honor of Red Ribbon Week

Red Ribbon Week poster, essay contests

Grand Futures Prevention Coalition hosted essay and poster contests this week at Craig Intermediate School and Craig Middle School, in honor of Red Ribbon Week.

The campaign is designed to steer America's children away from drug and alcohol abuse.

Here, we've included the work of the local contest winners.

The essay contest for Moffat County High School students has been extended a week. For more information, call Kiniston.

[continues 1085 words]

EDITOR: The Analysis of the 2006 Ballot Proposals, printed, published and distributed by the Legislative Council of the Colorado General Assembly, contains a very blatant fabrication, which is obviously intended to mislead the Colorado voting public.

On page 27 of the "analysis" it reads, "It would also include transferring up to 1 ounce of marijuana to another individual 15 years or older as long as there is no compensation."

This is absolutely untrue. Amendment 44 would not enable anyone under the age of 21 to have anything to do with marijuana. This misinformation is intended to sway voters who would approve legal possession for over-21-year-olds, but would not approve of younger persons having anything to do with it. There is s a lawsuit in process because of this lie. But, in spite of the lawsuit, the Legislative Council of the General Assembly has continued to print and distribute their "analysis."

[continues 140 words]

DENVER -- Supporters of Amendment 44 outnumbered the state and local law enforcement officials who gathered Friday on the state Capitol steps to detail their opposition to that marijuana-legalization initiative.

"This is a sad day for Colorado," Gov. Bill Owens said after the pro-44 demonstrators heckled and chanted during the anti-44 news conference.

Owens, one of the featured speakers at the news conference, complained he'd never before seen a news conference where a legitimate debate by organizers was "shouted down."

[continues 318 words]

I just read the (letter) by David Cox. I couldn't agree more with his thoughts. One thing I want to add is that those who live among us that smoke marijuana and can provide positive input about the drug can't. Anyone who speaks of their experience and admits using marijuana is automatically guilty of a crime. I think the time has come to regulate the drug just as we do liquor and nicotine, which in my opinion are the two real gateway drugs in our society.

[continues 64 words]

Impact in Colorado Springs Could Be Equivalent to $80 Million in Retail Sales, Account for 1,100 Jobs

On Nov. 7, Colorado voters will decide whether to legalize the possession of up to an ounce of marijuana by any person over 21.

Initiative 44, which is modeled after an ordinance that Denver voters approved in 2004, is seen by both supporters and opponents as a first step toward comprehensive legalization and regulation of marijuana.

Eliminate the legal, social and moral arguments, and one thing becomes very clear: even without Initiative 44, the marijuana trade in El Paso County is a major contributor to the local economy.

[continues 1291 words]

With early voting already underway and Election Day in less than two weeks, evidence indicates that Colorado's young voters could decide the elections. Organizations are working to make sure Denver voters get out and vote, even if that means a limousine ride to the polls.

Data suggests that at least 29 percent of Colorado's 18- to 29-year-olds will vote in the upcoming elections, according to Maryland-based The Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE). That number comes from analyzing data from the most recent midterm election in 2002.

[continues 832 words]

Pot proponents unveiled their second Denver billboard yesterday, which revealed a bikini-clad woman who touts the relative benefits of marijuana over alcohol.

"Marijuana: No hangovers. No violence. No Carbs," the billboard states above the sprawled out bikini model.

The billboard will appear at two locations in Denver -- 1381 W. Alameda Ave., and a separate location which was not immediately announced yesterday.

The billboard serves in support of ballot initiative Amendment 44, which would legalize the possession of up to one ounce of marijuana for adults, 21 years of age and older.

[continues 129 words]

Regarding Josh Nichols' Oct. 13 column:

The drug war is in large part a war on marijuana, by far the most popular illicit drug. Marijuana prohibition has done little other than burden millions of otherwise law-abiding citizens with criminal records. The University of Michigan's Monitoring the Future Study reports that lifetime use of marijuana is higher in the U.S. than any European country, yet America is one of the few Western countries that uses its criminal justice system to punish citizens who prefer marijuana to martinis.

[continues 158 words]

Before stepping into the voters' booth, it's important to understand the number of referenda and amendments on this year's ballot, which range from defining marriage to term limits for judges.

We are disheartened that our legislators have again sought to make changes to the state constitution rather than to deal with issues through statutory change. We believe the Constitution is not the place for legislating change. You will see that belief influences several of our positions.

The Summit Daily News endorses:

[continues 779 words]

Dear Editor:

Amendment 44 would legalize personal use of marijuana under Colorado law. Marijuana previously was sold over the counter in one ounce packets for headaches and insomnia and in Brown's Sedative tablets and Lilly's One Day Cough Cure. Cocaine and morphine were also sold in drug stores. The big problems began when the drugs were made illegal. We're repeating the same mistakes of alcohol prohibition. After 24 years of the war on drugs and wasting tens of billions of dollars, it's obvious sale and use of drugs can't be stopped. These drugs cause transient pleasurable feelings and there is a continuing demand.

[continues 390 words]

ASPEN - Online bookies are taking bets on whether the amendment to legalize possession of marijuana in Colorado will pass in the Nov. 7 election, and they say the odds are against it.

"Everybody has an opinion," said Mickey Richardson, chief executive of BetCRIS. "Now they can put their money where their mouth is."

BetCRIS (www.BetCRIS.com) is an online booking agency based in Costa Rica. The company, Richardson said, takes recommendations from clients and turns "water cooler talk" into wagers. In the past, he's given odds on everything from presidential races to whether Jimmy Hoffa's body would be found.

[continues 285 words]

As Officials Debate the Merits and Dangers of Marijuana, a Poll Shows a Third of Voters Last Month As Undecided on Amendment 44.

If Amendment 44 passes Nov. 7, Colorado could become the first state where voters have approved marijuana for recreational use.

Safer Alternative for Enjoyable Recreation launched the campaign to legalize pot after a successful initiative in Denver last year.

"Law enforcement should not have to worry about a person smoking a joint in their own house," said Mason Tvert, SAFER's campaign director.

[continues 838 words]

I might accept the Camera's position against Amendment 44, (editorial, Oct. 10) if you didn't get so many basic facts wrong.

You describe Amendment 44 as a "push to decriminalize possession of less than an ounce of marijuana," but according to Colorado state law, this is already decriminalized, with a maximum fine of $100. Amendment 44 would merely eliminate the $100 fine.

The myths that 1) cannabis is much more potent today than 30 years ago, 2) cannabis is a "gateway drug" and 3) legalization will increase use by minors have all been thoroughly debunked. You only need a few minutes of Internet research and a level head. Start with LEAP (Law Enforcement Against Prohibition) or the Drug Policy Alliance.

Boston and Boulder (the two cities with the highest per capita marijuana use) are great places to live, and they'd be even better if law enforcement were directed toward important public-safety issues like drunken driving instead of reefer madness.

Devin Nordberg

Boulder

[end]

Amendment 44, which would legalize possession of a small amount of marijuana, should be rejected. It's a national issue, not a state one.

It's the shortest proposal on this year's statewide ballot, but Amendment 44 touches on a host of thorny legal, social and health issues and has garnered a fair measure of national attention. If passed, it would change state law to allow people over 21 to possess an ounce or less of marijuana without legal penalty.

[continues 421 words]

They'll Help Decide Fate Of Amendment 44 After Backers' On-Campus Push

The ballot was a long, strange trip for Lauren Vogel, a 19-year-old Colorado State University student taking part in the first day of early voting on the campus.

But when it came to Amendment 44, she didn't hesitate.

"I voted no," she said simply.

No matter, according to Mason Tvert, the campaign director for the ballot measure seeking to legalize possession of up to an ounce of marijuana for adults 21 and over. Monday was the day he got a chance to reap the rewards of working the campus hard to register young people to vote in an effort to spur the initiative to victory.

[continues 555 words]

Amendment 44 Would Let People Possess Less Than an Ounce

Among the many things voters have to consider Nov. 7 is a measure that, if passed, would make Colorado the first state in the nation to allow adults to possess small amounts of marijuana.

Amendment 44, which is similar to a law passed by Denver residents last year, would make it legal for adults over the age of 21 to possess up to one ounce of marijuana. Opponents say it will lead to increased marijuana use among children.

[continues 372 words]

Dana Jurich's column, (Time To Un-Demonize Marijuana, Oct. 13) forgot to mention the first Bible was written on hemp paper. Cannabis (kaneh bosm/marijuana) couldn't be the "devil weed" because the devil never had powers of creation. In fact one reason Christians should support Amendment 44, legalizing small amounts of cannabis is because it is Biblically correct since Christ God Our Father, indicates He created all the seed-bearing plants saying they are all good, on literally the very first page (see Genesis 1:11-12 and 29-30). The only Biblical restriction place on cannabis is that it be accepted with thankfulness (see 1 Timothy 4:1-5).

It's time to stop caging humans for using what God says it good.

Stan White

Dillon

[end]

When civilians encounter police, the best thing they can do is remain silent, said Jason Savela, a Boulder civil defense attorney.

"By saying nothing you are saying no to questioning," he said. "If you have the opportunity to say no, say no."

The CSU chapter of Students for Sensible Drug Policy on Thursday night in Clark C142 sponsored a screening of "Busted: A Citizen's Guide to Police Encounters."

American Civil Liberties Union and the advocacy group Flex Your Rights created the 45-minute video to provide tips about the rights of citizens when dealing with police. It portrayed several situations where officers bullied citizens into incriminating themselves. The situations ranged from a traffic violation to a house party gone awry. Each skit showed the right way, and the wrong way, to handle ill-tempered police officers.

[continues 303 words]

One candidate, the challenger, is a police officer who is also an artist. The other, the incumbent, is a long-serving sheriff who is writing a book about his close friend Hunter S. Thompson, the late "gonzo" journalist.

Only in Aspen.

On Nov. 7, voters in this posh mountain town will choose between five-time incumbent Sheriff Bob Braudis, 61, and Rick Magnuson, a police officer who is 20 years his junior and whose main issue is that the sheriff is too easy on drug users.

[continues 758 words]

Boo!

That's a preview of the strongest argument opponents of Amendment 44 - - the Alcohol-Marijuana Equalization Initiative - will put forth in the last two weeks of the campaign.

Don't expect an open and honest discussion about the merits of making marijuana possession legal for adults. Instead, expect every possible scare tactic related to children you can imagine. Before our opponents are done, you will think we are trying to make marijuana part of the free lunch program at elementary schools.

[continues 646 words]

Think Tank Study Finds News, Post Toe the Establishment Line

You can call the Rocky Mountain News and The Denver Post a lot of things, but one thing you can't call them is "fair and balanced." When the Colorado establishment lines up on one side of an issue, the News and the Post go along. Consider, for example, how the Denver dailies have covered this year's marijuana initiative (Amendment 44) and last year's Referendums C and D (increased spending and borrowing).

[continues 717 words]

The proponents of Amendment 44 base their assertion that possession of marijuana should be legalized on the premise that it is a safe alternative to alcohol. That message is both incorrect and irresponsible and I hope the voters of Colorado will reject it.

Our American society is plagued by moral relativism, and the campaign in support of Amendment 44 is a classic example of it. They suggest that society should condone the harm brought on by marijuana intoxication because, in their view, it is surpassed by the harm brought about by alcohol intoxication. That is an irresponsible message, particularly for our children.

[continues 598 words]

During my 18 years of police service near Lansing, Mich., I went to zero calls for service generated by the use of marijuana.

As I focused on the deadly threat of DUI drivers, too many of my colleagues like Tom Gorman (editorial, Oct. 10) spent their shift trying to find a baggie of marijuana.

Please end marijuana prohibition and allow my colleagues to focus on DUI, child molesters and other public-safety threats.

Howard J. Wooldridge

Louisville

[end]

YES to Amendment 44: Marijuana possession. This is a proposed amendment not to the Constitution but to state statutes that would legalize possession of up to 1 ounce of marijuana for people 21 and older. All arguments for or against this amendment are superfluous when considering the fact that alcohol - a statistically much more dangerous substance - is legal while marijuana is not. Cops should spend their time doing other things besides hassling people in possession of such a relatively benign substance. This will not change federal law or how federal law enforcement agencies view marijuana possession. But it eliminates a nominal fine and sends a message about what should be this nation's priorities.

[end]

If it wasn't for Summit County Commissioner candidate Doug Malkan's political activism, the Frisco peninsula would already be misused.

For years there's been developments in Summit County creating and preserving open space lands. It compromises work and credibility of open space lands if we then take land designated for parks and recreation and turn it into commercial usage. It's surprising politicians again try developing the peninsula. The peninsula location is controversial, like no other. We're not losing CMC, it is going to be built somewhere; just not where it doesn't belong.

[continues 173 words]

(Re: "Polk hits pothole," Stew's Views, Oct. 5.) The issue of a Boulder City Council member's arrest for marijuana possession and driving under the influence brings several important points to the forefront.

Firstly, no one should drive while under the influence of a substance, which can alter your perceptions. Even if some people can "maintain," as Stewart suggests, under the influence, these laws must be abided by-for the overall safety of our community and society as a whole.

[continues 196 words]

(Re: "Amendment 44," Vote 2006, Oct. 12) Hats off to Boulder Weekly for acknowledging the truth about cannabis. Marijuana isn't harmless, and the proponents of Amendment 44 do not claim that it is. However, pot's relative risks to the user and society are less than those of alcohol and do not warrant the continued arrest of more than 780,000 Americans on marijuana charges every year.

Data released this week by the U.S. Department of Justice report that nearly one in eight drug prisoners in America are behind bars for marijuana-related offenses. This means that an estimated 45,000 state and federal prisoners are now behind bars for pot. Incarcerating these individuals costs U.S. taxpayers more than $1 billion annually.

[continues 73 words]

I recently read your Oct. 10 editorial and was disappointed with the author's choice to overlook the real issues behind Amendment 44.

There is absolutely no denying that marijuana is safer than alcohol. I am a 21-year-old female who was kicked out of CU-Boulder for several alcohol tickets. I am a chronic alcoholic. I have two DUIs and face years of jail time for my most recent one, where I injured two innocent people. I have been hospitalized countless times for alcohol poisoning.

[continues 194 words]

Amendment 44 Would Legalize Small Amounts Of Marijuana

Almost a year ago, the Mile High City passed Initiative 100, making Denver one of the first cities in the country to legalize possession of less than one ounce of marijuana for adults 21 and older.

Or so they thought.

Since that time, local authorities have continued to arrest marijuana users in Denver, claiming that state laws trump the city's ordinance.

Currently, possession of less than an ounce of cannabis is a class two petty offense and carries with it a fine of $100. However, the debate continues over whether or not the police are required to enforce this policy.

[continues 710 words]

Talk about a wedge issue.

Thursday was all about the weed here in the Grand Valley.

First, we had the pro-Referendum 44 folks passionately touting the importance of legalizing the bud in a billboard-unveiling press conference.

That was followed by a press conference hosted by the anti-Referendum 44 crowd, stressing how the bud is the root of all that's bad in our community.

After that, Scott M. Burns, deputy director for state and local affairs in the White House Drug Policy Office, stopped by the Free Press office. He too, said legalizing bud was bad.

[continues 503 words]

Things have definitely become strange in Pitkin County when sheriff candidate Rick Magnuson, who champions tougher drug enforcement, ends a debate by quoting Hunter S. Thompson.

"'It should be noted at this point in the platform that any sheriff in any county in Colorado is legally responsible for the enforcement of all state laws regarding drugs - even those he disagrees with,'" Magnuson read from Thompson's book "Better Than Sex." The excerpt came from Thompson's platform during his failed bid for Pitkin County Sheriff in 1970.

[continues 699 words]

DENVER -- Colorado and Nevada could become leaders in the movement to legalize marijuana, when voters decide Nov. 7 whether to remove all penalties for adults 21 or older possessing up to an ounce of the drug.

Alaska is the only state that allows penalty-free possession of marijuana, the result of a court decision in August striking down part of a state law that made it a misdemeanor for adults to have less than 1 ounce of marijuana.

In addition to the two statewide ballot measures, at least five cities are letting voters decide whether to direct police to make enforcement of marijuana laws a low priority. Those towns: Missoula, Mont.; Eureka Springs, Ark.; and three California communities -- Santa Cruz, Santa Monica and Santa Barbara.

[continues 374 words]

BOULDER - The District Attorney's office Tuesday said it won't file criminal charges against a Lafayette police officer in the Taser death of a man, but made the point that this doesn't necessarily mean the officer acted appropriately.

Ryan Wilson, 22, died Aug. 4 shortly after he was chased from a marijuana field by officers, ran for a half-mile and was hit by the prongs of a Taser X26 fired by Officer John Harris.

The Lafayette police had said Harris fired the Taser because he felt threatened when Wilson reached for what looked to be a knife, but turned out to be a box cutter.

[continues 200 words]

LOVELAND -- After spending Monday talking about methamphetamine with a room full of law enforcement officers, counselors, social workers and others, Frank Lancaster decided to speak with his teenage son.

"This is going to be our dinner conversation tonight," Lancaster said, illustrating that he had heard the officials, who, during the daylong meth summit, stressed the importance of family in preventing drug use.

As a district chairman for the Boy Scouts, he plans to continue working on ways to provide youngsters with positive alternatives to drugs -- something many at the Larimer and Weld County Meth Summit said was key to beating the drug.

[continues 460 words]

Multiple, easily-accessible chemicals melded into one substance has created a drug of choice that has led to many social problems.

The problem of methamphetamine use has become so large in the region that its abuse prompted leaders from Weld and Larimer counties to gather Monday at The Ranch in Loveland to discuss the problem of the drug's abuse in northern Colorado.

About 70 people participated in the day-long brainstorming session. State, county and city government officials, law enforcement representatives and people from local treatment centers in both counties joined the discussions.

[continues 412 words]

The Daily Sentinel editorial urging voters to vote no against Amendment 44 is disgraceful. Not because they oppose the issue, but because they make a statement that is patently false in their justification. Declaring that Amendment 44, "creates a loophole in state law that would allow those over 21 to legally transfer up to an ounce of marijuana to another person 15 years or older," is 100 percent false. If Amendment 44 passes, it will remain a felony to contribute to the delinquency of a minor by such a transfer.

[continues 244 words]

Transferring Pot Was Already Legal

Despite the recent hoopla about Amendment 44's making it legal for adults to give children marijuana, we might expect the editorial staff of the Camera to actually read the law that now exists and relay the facts (Editorial, Oct. 10). Colorado lawmakers created the existing law in 2001. A part of that law states that anyone in possession of marijuana can give it to anyone else and not be committing a crime.

Possession is a crime and selling it is a crime, but giving it away is not. Lawmakers were trying to stop filling the jails with people who handed someone else a joint. They decriminalized possession of minor amounts. Selling marijuana is still a crime, and 44 doesn't change that.

[continues 190 words]

Point No. 1. Regulation of marijuana would reduce organized crime and access to adolescents just as the regulation of alcohol has.

Teens report they have easier access to marijuana than they have to either alcohol or tobacco, according to a national survey released on Aug. 20, 2002, by the national Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University. The results marked the first in the survey's history that adolescents said it was easier to buy cannabis than cigarettes or alcohol. Similar to the failed prohibition of alcohol, marijuana prohibition creates organized crime to respond to the substance's demand instead of allowing law-abiding businesses to create revenue for the county.

[continues 446 words]

Students at CU say they're quite satisfied with the outcome of a voter-registration drive that ended last week that registered 2,500 students.

"That's 10 percent of the campus," said physics and math major Daniel McKinnon, 20, who volunteered with the voter registration drive. "We were really psyched."

Many students say they think that is a strong showing for a mid-term election year.

About 110 students collected voter registration forms as part of an effort mobilized by the New Voters Project, a nonpartisan group under the umbrella of the Colorado Public Interest Research Group (CoPIRG).

[continues 388 words]

Initiative 44, legalizing cannabis, may well be the most important election issue ("Hippie-hating and -baiting," Your Turn, Oct. 5), but not just for hippies.

True fiscal conservatives will vote for it; cannabis prohibition is a costly failure. Parents and mothers will support it; cannabis prohibition is more harmful to youth than the substance being prohibited. Police should support it; they've seen first-hand that cannabis doesn't cause crime.

But most importantly, re-legalizing cannabis should gain support of obedient Christians, since Christ God Our Father indicates He created all the seed-bearing plants saying they are all good, on literally the very first page of the Bible (see Genesis 1:11-12 and 29-30). The only biblical restriction placed on cannabis is that it be accepted with thankfulness (see 1 Timothy 4:1-5).

It's time to stop caging humans for using what God says is good.

Stan White

Dillon

[end]

Amendment 44 asks Colorado voters to decide whether or not to legalize possession of less than one ounce of marijuana for adults 21 years and older. If passed it would still be illegal to consume marijuana in public, drive while under the influence, grow marijuana, sell it or possess it if you are under 21.

This is an expansion of the initiative that was passed last year in Denver. Currently, possession of less than one ounce of marijuana is a petty offense in Colorado and carries a $100 fine.

[continues 472 words]

Colorado was the first state to vote to repeal alcohol prohibition in 1932, and we have the chance to be the first state to vote to repeal cannabis (marijuana) prohibition with the passage of Amendment 44. In 1932, forward-thinking Colorado citizens put an initiative on the ballot to repeal alcohol prohibition. It passed with 56 percent of the vote.

However, in 1937, Congress enacted cannabis prohibition via the Marijuana Tax Act. Cannabis prohibition created a new black market in cannabis, which has led to the same violence and corruption seen in the alcohol prohibition era. It also gave rise to government agencies like the Drug Enforcement Administration, which not only uses your tax dollars to arrest and imprison nonviolent cannabis users, but also actively campaigns for cannabis prohibition in our democratic elections.

[continues 191 words]