Dear Editor: I've enjoyed reading progressive articles about cannabis (kaneh bosm/marijuana) lately in The Aspen Times but can't get Shelley Evans' letter ("Facts about Amendment 44," Sept. 30) out of my mind. Evans is out of touch with reality on every government-parroted reefer-madness point. Example: Marijuana cannot contain more cancer-causing chemicals than tobacco smoke, since there isn't one dead body to prove it in over 5,000 years of documented use. Tobacco kills over 1,000 Americans daily. [continues 99 words]
ASPEN - A community safety officer for Aspen's police department is presenting Pitkin County Sheriff Bob Braudis with one of his most significant re-election challenges in two decades in a campaign that has renewed disagreements over drug enforcement. Braudis, whose last real challenge came in 1986, said he expects to be re-elected. But his opposition to the national "war on drugs," stemming from a view that undercover drug work erodes trust between law enforcement officers and residents, and his belief that substance abuse is fundamentally a health issue have caused divisions in the community. [continues 364 words]
Marijuana has been illegal for the better part of a century now, and the time has finally come to remove it from the hit list. There are many reasons why it has been made illegal, all of which have been based on false propaganda. Have you ever seen the 1936 movie "Reefer Madness?" It's been a few years, but if I recall correctly, there are a handful of teenagers that get together after school, start smoking weed, and end up throwing wild and crazy parties, where they dance uncontrollably to the "satanic jazz and swing music." Eventually they all start going mad, turning into homicidal psychopaths, rapists, and deranged lunatics. I seem to remember one gal going nuts and throwing herself out of a whatever-story window. Intended as a scare-movie, this film unrealistically portrayed the effects of becoming addicted to the "devil weed." [continues 437 words]
White House Official, State's Attorney General, Clash With Pro-Pot Forces Will Colorado become the "pot capital of America"? Is marijuana the safer alternative to alcohol? And who paid for a press gathering Thursday in a conference room at the Doubletree Hotel, where federal, state and local officials urged voters to reject a pro-pot initiative on Colorado's November ballot? The last question became the topic of a heated exchange between Amendment 44 campaign director Mason Tvert, Scott Burns, deputy director for state and local affairs for the White House's Office of National Drug Control Policy, as well as Colorado Attorney General John Suthers. [continues 763 words]
AMENDMENT 44 The war on drugs is a failure and a waste of public resources. This amendment to state statutes would free law enforcement from chasing petty offenders who possess an ounce of marijuana or less. The growth, sale and public use or display of pot would remain a crime, as would driving under the influence. We are troubled by a provision of Amendment 44 that appears to allow adults to share their pot with children as young as 15. Opponents have pounced on this provision and claim that 44 will hurt children. Proponents argue that such behavior would still constitute contributing to the delinquency of a minor. Since this amendment would only affect state statute, and not the Constitution, we hope the Legislature will clear up this portion. The bottom line is that cops have more important things to do than to bust adults for marijuana possession. Vote Yes on Amendment 44. [end]
I continue to contemplate which candidate for governor I'm going to vote against. Ritter doesn't support a woman's right to an abortion. When Ritter was Denver's district attorney, his office approved a misguided search warrant against a bookstore (as I discussed previously). He has indicated that he'd try to further politicize medicine and restrict the right to bear arms. While Ritter has admitted to using marijuana, he favors keeping legal penalties for possession of under an ounce of the plant by adults over 21. [continues 819 words]
Issues Aren't Addressed in Ballot Measure That Would Legalize Marijuana Much the way marijuana stays in a person's system for an extended period, expect some fallout to linger in the halls of government well after the Nov. 7 election if Amendment 44 passes. The reason is because the wording of the ballot measure is so simple, even the most ardent stoner could understand it. But that is also its curse because it leaves so many issues unaddressed. Amendment 44 seeks to allow adults over 21 to legally possess up to an ounce of marijuana for their own personal use. [continues 1156 words]
Amendment 44 Backers Seek Gramnet Records The campaign director for a Denver-based group leading the charge for pro-marijuana legislation said his organization "anxiously" awaits the response from a local drug task force that may have violated state campaign laws. So far, that response hasn't come. "Our response to that is 'no comment,'" said Dusty Schulze, task force commander of the Greater Routt and Moffat Narcotics Enforcement Team. In late September, GRAMNET released a statement urging residents to vote against Amendment 44 -- a question on the November general election ballot that, if approved, would legalize the possession of up to one ounce of marijuana for anyone 21 or older. The eight-page release, which included information titled "The Truth about Marijuana," was attributed to eight officials in Moffat and Routt counties, including the sheriffs from both counties and the district attorney, who prosecutes cases in both counties. [continues 492 words]
Legalizing Marijuana Would Aid Organized Crime, John Walters Says The nation's top anti-drug warrior came to Colorado Springs on Wednesday to denounce a statewide ballot measure to legalize smallscale marijuana possession. U.S. drug czar John Walters called marijuana use a "disease" and said Amendment 44 would result in more drug use among adults and teens. If it passes next month, Colorado would be the first state to legalize marijuana possession through a ballot measure. Walters' visit, which also included stops in Denver and Grand Junction, shows the measure is attracting high-level interest from far beyond the state's borders. [continues 332 words]
This election year, Colorado voters have the opportunity to decide whether or not to make it legal to possess up to an ounce of marijuana, reducing the penalty from a petty offense to nothing. Opponents of this measure, Amendment 44 on the November ballot, contend that legalizing dope would have a negative impact on Colorado's children. Implicitly, they argue that the increasing costs associated with marijuana usage will only rise should the law pass. So, what are the human costs of marijuana use relative to other controllable "bad habits"? According to a 2004 article in the Journal of the American Medical Association, the leading cause of death is tobacco followed by obesity and alcohol, accounting for 18 percent, 17 percent, and 4 percent of all deaths, respectively, in 2000. Last on the list, after firearms and auto accidents, is illicit drug use, about 0.7 percent of all deaths. [continues 504 words]
Ongoing debate regarding drug-law enforcement, and an Aspen Times online poll on that very subject, has generated plenty of online comment of late. The aspentimes.com poll asking: "Do you think Sheriff Bob Braudis is too lax when it comes to drug enforcement," provoked several comments from readers. Said one: In my opinion, it is not that Braudis is too lax on drugs. With great vision, he does not believe in or support the ongoing failure of "the war on drugs" mentality. The Pitkin County Sheriff's Dept. does not hesitate apprehending those caught breaking the law including drug violations. Put that in your pipe and smoke it. [continues 353 words]
Possession of an ounce of marijuana by adults will be legal if Colorado's Amendment 44 wins. On one side are legalization activists fresh from a victory in Denver; on the other is the federal Drug Enforcement Agency, mobilizing Coloradoans to resist. The voters stand between in what may be the most important issue on this fall's ballot. Amendment 44 is about more than marijuana: It's about civil rights and America's future. "Yeah, the '60s are over with," the man growls, "but they forgot to tell them that up in Boulder." Or, apparently, in a good portion of Colorado. Today, hippies aren't supposed to exist; yet, look around, and there they are, the majority of whom had yet to be born when the '60s ended. I'd estimate that nationally, hippies comprise about 10 percent of the population; in Colorado, that figure is probably higher. [continues 559 words]
DENVER -- Amendment 44, if voters approve it, would make it legal under state law for anyone age 21 and older to possess up to one ounce of marijuana. Marijuana possession is now a Class 2 petty offense under Colorado law, punishable by a fine of up to $100. The legalization measure is being promoted by SAFER, an organization whose name assert that marijuana is a "Safer Alternative for Enjoyable Recreation" than alcohol. SAFER spokesman Mason Tvert has said alcohol abuse "contributes to social problems light fighting, sexual assault, property damage and domestic abuse" but that "marijuana has never been linked to these types of issues." [continues 274 words]
The White House drug czar will announce a multi-million dollar grant to Colorado school districts and community agencies Wednesday. The money is earmarked toward prevention and treatment programs, and toward helping school officials and medical staffers identify and refer people with drug problems. Although the White House two years ago sent a team to Denver to tell school officials how to get around legal challenges to random drug testing of students, these grants apparently aren't going to be used for that purpose. "The main focus is going to be on emergency rooms," said Liz McDonough, spokeswoman for the Colorado Department of Human Services. Much of the money will be used for surveys to find someone's propensity for addiction, and help find the right treatment option. [end]
Legalizing Marijuana Doesn't Make Sense Just say no to Amendment 44, which would legalize possession of up to one ounce of marijuana for adults 21 or older. In the first place, the language of the amendment, sponsored by Safer Alternative For Enjoyable Recreation, contains a major loophole. It leaves open the possibility that an adult giving marijuana to a child or young adult between 15 and 20 "appears to be legal," according to Mason Tvert, SAFER's campaign director, speaking for those who favor the amendment. He says another law, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, "covers" the loophole. [continues 422 words]
In the past two months since the tasing death of my nephew, Ryan Michael Wilson, the actions of the law-enforcement community in its efforts to deal with suspected drug offenses have boggled my mind. As citizens of Boulder County, you should be concerned as well. Your law enforcement officials seem to have no established, consistent method of engaging drug suspects. I will outline three notable incidents which have occurred within just the last 60 days. Pay attention. Your loved one or someone you know might be the subject of a future news event just like these. [continues 878 words]
He's got long hair, is wearing a black cowboy hat, and the word "wasted" in gleaming silver makes up the belt buckle holding up tattered jeans. And yet, Kevin Blewitt - yes, his real name - said he's not sure which way he leans on Amendment 44, the statewide ballot measure attempting to make possession of an ounce of marijuana for those over 21 legal. The anthropology student at the University of Northern Colorado said he grew up under the Drug Abuse Resistance Education program, the federally-funded anti-drug program that preached to children in schools the risks of marijuana, cocaine and alcohol. Until he started college, he was "pretty anti-drug usage" himself. [continues 681 words]
Bill Smits, 22, of Greeley stands next to his truck that has a sign in the back of his window with a saying that saved his life. When Smits was a teen, he had constant chemotherapy, which made him vomit everything he ate. He lost 84 pounds in a month. Medical marijuana was the only thing in the beginning that helped him keep food down. You would think, just by seeing his pickup truck, that Bill Smits would favor the ballot initiative in the upcoming election that would legalize marijuana possession in Colorado. [continues 550 words]
There's more to, "Pot, Truth and The DEA," (Sept. 29, 2006), where You expose "DEA facts" as an oxymoron. Historically, prohibitionists claim cannabis is the devil weed, but the devil never had any powers of creation. In fact another reason to re-legalize cannabis (kaneh bosm / marijuana) that doesn't get mentioned 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). [continues 51 words]
BOULDER - A 22-year-old man who died after a police officer shot him with a stun gun had appeared to be grabbing a knife clipped to his pants, Lafayette police said. Ryan Wilson died Aug. 4 after running more than a half-mile from officers responding to a tip that marijuana was being grown in a field in Louisville. Boulder County Coroner Thomas Faure concluded Wilson died of an irregular heartbeat caused by a combination of exertion, the stun-gun shock and a heart condition present since birth. [continues 109 words]
Amendment 44 Is Bad Policy There must be hundreds of things that sensible Coloradans believe would benefit this state, but surely one of them is not an infusion of more illegal drugs. Yet here we are, thanks to Amendment 44, poised as a state to vote on whether we should make it easier to get high on marijuana. It's an atrocious idea and deserves a resounding defeat. Amendment 44 would legalize under state law the possession of up to one ounce of marijuana for adults who are 21 and older. But of course federal laws involving marijuana would remain in place. And it would still be illegal under a variety of statutes to buy or grow marijuana (except for medicinal use), so the only way someone could "legally" possess the substance would be by breaking other laws. [continues 416 words]
I support cannabis (marijuana) legalization and Amendment 44 which is on the Nov. 7 election ballot. This is a chance for citizens who use or don't use cannabis to help change an ignorant anti-Christian law. It is a chance for parents and mothers to help protect children from prohibitionist society and its harms. It is a chance to guide police toward serving and protecting, rather than maintaining a misguided prohibition. It's a chance for true conservatives to stop government from unsuccessfully spending more money to control what people put in their bodies. It is a chance for DARE graduate students who've been lied to to speak out. [continues 70 words]
If it is anything, the work environment at Boulder Weekly is fiercely tolerant. Of course, like any ethical business, we're prepared to bring employees into our circle regardless of their age, gender, religion, nationality, color or sexual orientation. But our level of tolerance goes far beyond that. We've been known to hire individuals who shop at Wal-Mart, wear Nike shoes, eat at the Cheesecake Factory and even root for the New York Yankees (gasp)-so long as they can make a positive contribution to our mission of saving the world, one Thursday at a time. And, yes, we even tolerate employees who smoke weed-so long as they do it on their time and it doesn't affect their job performance. [continues 785 words]
I often read, hear and see on TV the words "Amendment 44 would legalize marijuana in Colorado." This is simply not true and again uses fear and misinformation to "stir up" the public. To quote one of the sentences in the overview of the amendment proposal, "Judges have discretion when assessing fines, and the maximum fine is not levied against all offenders." Under current law, police in Denver can charge offenders under state law instead of city law. In this context, marijuana is not legal. If it were completely legal, one would be able to smoke it anywhere or have a bag of pot sitting on a restaurant table without fear of retribution. [continues 64 words]
Editor: I think that legalizing all currently illicit drugs, at the very least, marijuana, would go a long way towards eliminating the crime connected with it and the terrorist activity in the world today, and here's why. By making some drugs illegal, this, by its very nature creates a black market in them, as there are some people who WILL use, REGARDLESS of whether or not those drugs are illegal. Because there is a cash incentive, run-of-the-mill criminal types will always be attracted. [continues 1003 words]
Re: "Amendment 44: The Marijuana Initiative," Oct. 1 pro-con Perspective articles. Mason Tvert's pro-Amendment 44 column trumped Thomas Gorman's scare tactics. Tvert is right that the opposition can't explain why there should be a double-standard between pot and alcohol. Gorman's response that there are more alcohol users proves nothing. I'd suggest a deeper reason for the double-standard: It's about who is using a particular substance. Gorman makes it pretty clear he has a low opinion of marijuana users, that these people are destroying "Colorado's future leaders." That's prejudice in that it stereotypes marijuana users as unmotivated losers. And when he argues Amendment 44 will "attract drug users as a new tourist base or residents," that's bigotry. Broomfield [end]
In Marc Carlisle's recent column ("A little advice before early voting begins," Sept. 27), he said Amendment 44 "purports to legalize the possession of small amounts of marijuana, but does nothing of the sort, since state law cannot supercede [sic] Federal law." While it is true that marijuana possession would technically remain illegal under federal law if Amendment 44 passes, the federal government has never arrested people for simple marijuana possession, and they have even acknowledged in recent weeks that they would not start now. [continues 113 words]
BATTLEMENT MESA - Methamphetamine use sent his little brother to jail, and Richard Mumby of Grand Junction hopes his co-workers in the natural-gas industry realize how addictive and disruptive the drug can be. Mumby works for Nabors Drilling and attended a day-long methamphetamine awareness presentation Wednesday in Battlement Mesa, organized in part by EnCana Oil and Gas for employees of their 500 contractors and subcontractors. Mumby told the crowd of approximately 250 people that his 30-year-old brother was due to be released from the Moffat County Jail in Craig next month. He served time for methamphetamine use and distribution, Mumby said. [continues 318 words]
Other Commissioners More Reserved As $446,000 Funding Request Is Made BOULDER -- Boulder County Commissioner Tom Mayer is so enthusiastic about the proposed creation of a drug court that Commissioner Ben Pearlman joked that he should be pitching the plan. Boulder County District Chief Judge Roxanne Bailin on Tuesday led a group of county social service and law enforcement leaders before the commissioners to make a case for funding the proposed Integrated Treatment Court to the order of $446,000. The three-member board is in the middle of budget hearings for the 2007 budget year. [continues 179 words]
We're indebted to Mason Tvert and his work, re-legalizing cannabis in my lifetime (Pot Fliers Flap Shrouded in Haze, Sept. 28, 2006), placing Amendment 44 on Colorado's election ballot Nov. 7. This is a chance for citizens to change an ignorant, anti-Christian law. It is a chance for parents and mothers to help protect children from prohibitionist society and its harms. A chance to guide police toward serving and protecting, rather than maintaining a misguided prohibition. A chance for true conservatives to stop government from unsuccessfully spending more money to control what people put in their bodies. A chance for DARE graduates who've been lied to to speak out. And it's a chance for Christians to acknowledge what it means when 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). It's time to stop caging and persecuting people for using what God says is good. Stan White Dillon resident [end]
The Rocky Mountain News appears to have taken a road similar to the government bureaucrats who tell only one side of the story and call it unbiased, like in the Blue Book voters' guide. The News runs big articles on the Drug Enforcement Administration and prints their ridiculous quotes as if it is the only truth, while completely ignoring groups like Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP) and National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) who also have truths that tell a different story. [continues 153 words]
Dear editor, You recently published several "taking points" put forward by opponents of Amendment 44. They say that 62 percent of teens in drug treatment had a primary marijuana diagnosis, and that more young people are in drug treatment for marijuana than for all other drugs combined. What they don't say is that most of these teens enter treatment because they have been ordered to do so, not because they need it. Amendment 44 opponents also claim that "Amendment 44 would make Colorado the No. 1 drug tourist destination in America" and that "Amendment 44 would have a negative economic impact on every Colorado citizen." Which is it? [continues 92 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 581 words]
Tom Gorman, a former undercover narcotics detective from California, said drug use in America is on the decline and voting to legalize an ounce or less of marijuana in Colorado would drive it back up. Gorman, local director of the national High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area organization, brought that message to Pueblo last week. Even though no one attended the night event at Pueblo Community College, Gorman, who now lives in Denver, discussed with Pueblo Police Chief Jim Billings what he sees as the problems of Amendment 44 which seeks to legalize possession of small amounts of pot. [continues 303 words]
One on Hand... Amendment 44 poses a simple question: Should the adult possession of up to 1 ounce of marijuana be legal under state law? Or, as our campaign prefers to phrase the question, should adults be punished for making the rational choice to use marijuana instead of alcohol, if that is what they prefer? On its face, there seems to be no logical reason to oppose this. What we have are two recreational substances. The difference is that alcohol is more addictive and more toxic. It is also associated with aggression and violence, which means it is far more likely to lead to the harm of someone other than the user. [continues 483 words]
And on the other hand... Let's start with good news about marijuana and other drugs of abuse. The percentage of people using illicit drugs in the United States has been reduced approximately 50 percent from its peak in 1979. Among our teenagers, from 2001 to 2005, drug use, primarily marijuana, has dropped by 20 percent. In fact, only about 6.8 percent of youths between the ages of 12 and 18 report using marijuana. Now the bad news: People such as the proponents of Amendment 44 are playing roulette with our youth and adults by trying to legalize marijuana, which will reverse this downward trend. [continues 432 words]
Amendment Would Make It Legal to Possess an Ounce or Less of Pot DENVER - Mason Tvert is standing in front of City Hall with a whole lot of beer. The leader of the marijuana-legalization initiative says he's ready to go "hit-for-chug" against two of the state's most prominent people to prove that marijuana is safer than alcohol. His targets are Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper - a Democrat who founded the Wynkoop Brewery - and Pete Coors, a Republican who ran unsuccessfully for U.S. Senate and serves on the board of his family's brewery. [continues 816 words]
Depending on your point of view, Coloradans have the choice this election between being trendsetters on marijuana law or protecting young people from drugs. Amendment 44 on the ballot would change state drug law to allow people over 21 to possess an ounce or less of marijuana without legal penalty. If the measure is passed, Colorado would join Alaska, now the only state that has no penalties for personal possession of a small amount of marijuana. (Nevada voters also face a decriminalization proposal in November.) [continues 281 words]
Title: Why should adults be able to use marijuana instead of alcohol? Type: TV ad Sponsor: Safer Alternative For Enjoyable Recreation, supporters of Amendment 44, which would legalize pot for recreational use. Message: The ad gives statistics about the dangers of alcohol in an attempt to show that marijuana is a safer alternative. A narrator says that two-thirds of all spousal-abuse cases are alcohol-related and that nearly three-quarters of all college rapes occur while a female is intoxicated by alcohol. The commercial continues, "Do we want our daughters growing up in a society where the only legal substance for recreation is alcohol? Not if we love them." [continues 52 words]
The Drug War Against Local Control and Parental Responsibility Not long ago, about the time Republicans became a majority in Congress, many conservatives considered the biggest threat to family values to be a powerful and activist central government. There may soon come a day when conservatives wonder how federal laws passed to perpetuate the ever-failing drug war became a proxy war on parental authority and local government decision making. As an example, on Sept. 19 the House of Representatives passed H.R. 5295, the "Student and Teacher Safety Act of 2006." The act requires "each state, local educational agency, and school district" to implement a federal mandate deeming reasonable and permissible "a search by a full time teacher or school official, acting on any colorable suspicion based on professional experience and judgment, of any minor student, on the grounds of any public school, if the search is conducted to ensure that classrooms, school buildings, and school property remain free of all weapons, dangerous materials, or illegal narcotics." [continues 266 words]
Editor: Thank you for covering the Pitkin Board of County Commissioners endorsement of Amendment 44, an initiative which would make the possession of up to one ounce of marijuana legal for adults in Colorado. It is great that your readers were informed about this important development. Assuming this will not be the last time you cover this issue, I just wanted to clarify one point you made in the article. You said, "Even if Amendment 44 passes, however, adult possession of marijuana would be illegal under federal law." [continues 140 words]
Editor: A majority of high-country citizens agree with The Aspen Daily News endorsement (PitCo High On Pot Initiative, Sept. 28, 2006) of Amendment 44. Another reason to re-legalize cannabis (kaneh bosm/marijuana) that doesn't get mentioned 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, 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 is good. Stan White Dillon [end]
(Re: "High On Hypocrisy," letters, Sept. 20.) Letter writer Cord MacGuire's astute summation of the utter failure of the Drug Enforcement Administration in Afghanistan is worthy of supplement considering the DEA is actively working to oppose Amendment 44 on the basis of being "experts on drugs." The DEA is not just a failure internationally. Here in the United States, save for persistent efforts to place obstacles between state-legal medical marijuana patients and their medicine and other programs aimed at impeding chronic pain patients from getting needed prescription drugs, the DEA is likewise a failure. Few Americans who want marijuana have trouble scoring. Nor do the users of other illicit drugs, despite 35-plus years of ever-escalating drug war policies headed by the DEA. [continues 63 words]
City Councilman Erwin "Richard" Polk was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of drugs just after 9 p.m. on Monday. Officer Keith Steinman pulled Polk over after he observed Polk driving unusually slowly and straddling lanes at the intersection of 15th and Pearl streets. When Polk rolled down his window, Steinman reportedly detected a strong odor of marijuana coming from both the car and from Polk. He put Polk through roadside maneuvers and confiscated some pot, a pipe and rolling papers. [continues 255 words]
(Editor's note: This letter was originally addressed to elected officials in Eagle, Garfield and Pitkin counties.) Dear Editor: I find it alarming that the Pitkin County commissioners unanimously agreed to support Amendment 44, which legalizes possession and use of non-medicinal marijuana for adults. Please do not follow suit. What the commissioners failed to acknowledge are the extreme health and safety risks associated with marijuana use: Fact 1: Even low doses of marijuana tend to induce intoxication, which includes alterations in thought formation and expression. [continues 193 words]
The teachers' union that represents Lincoln Orchard Mesa Elementary School teacher [Name redacted] said it does not condone [Name redacted] alleged criminal behavior, but still will support her in the event of termination from employment. [Name redacted] , formerly known as [Name redacted] , 41, has been arrested twice since October 2005. She was charged with methamphetamine and marijuana possession after the 2005 arrest and will face new charges from prosecutors Friday, following her arrest Sunday. "This is a criminal case. The charges against this woman are outside the scope of her employment," read a joint statement from the Mesa Valley Education Association, the teachers' union for Mesa County School District 51, and the Colorado Education Association. Neither group is involved in the legal matters of [Name redacted] criminal case. [continues 185 words]
Dear editor, America will witness the end of cannabis prohibition once women and mothers organize and speak out ("Parent Group Announces Support for Pot Measure," Sept. 19, Denver Daily News) the same way they did to end the original prohibition [of alcohol] in the 1920s. Another reason to re-legalize cannabis that doesn't get mentioned is because it is biblically correct, since 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 placed on cannabis is that it be accepted with thankfulness (see 1 Timothy 4:1-5). It's time to stop caging and persecuting responsible adults for using what God says is good. Truthfully, Stan White Dillon [end]
Colorado will be voting on whether to legalize possession of marijuana this November, and the Drug Enforcement Administration is not amused. When Safer Colorado, the group sponsoring a statewide ballot initiative to legalize the possession of small quantities of pot (up to one ounce) for personal use, turned in petitions with 129,000 signatures last month - twice as many as necessary to make ballot - the DEA sprung, or more accurately slithered, into action. According to a story in the Daily Camera, DEA agent Michael Moore sent out an e-mail to professional political consultants seeking a campaign manager for the drive to defeat the initiative. The e-mail, which was sent from a Department of Justice computer, claims that a group opposed to the initiative has $10,000 to launch the campaign, and that anyone interested should call him at his DEA office. [continues 628 words]
The hot-button issues of legalizing marijuana and recognizing the rights of same-sex partners drew the unanimous support of Pitkin County commissioners on Wednesday. With virtually no comments during its regular meeting, the commissioners unanimously passed resolutions on six state ballot issues coming before voters Nov. 7, including Amendment 44, which legalizes possession of small amounts of marijuana for adults. The commissioners had debated the question at length at a work session earlier this month, said chair Mick Ireland. At that time there was some hesitation about what kind of message the board's endorsement would send to kids. [continues 398 words]
CSU reverses its decision to allow political fliers that depict a marijuana leaf. Exactly why is it in dispute? Backers of a pot-legalization measure were blocked from distributing fliers that depicted a marijuana leaf on campus before the ACLU got involved. "How many lawyers does it take to be able to exercise your free speech?" asked Seth Anthony, chair of the CSU Libertarian Party. The CSULP and the CSU chapter of Students for Sensible Drug Policy wanted to distribute fliers advocating Amendment 44, which would legalize small amounts of marijuana for those 21 and older. [continues 426 words]
Inside Colorado
