Denver Votes to Legalize Personal Pot Possession
by TChris
Denver residents voted to legalize the adult possession of up to an ounce of marijuana. Mayor John Hickenlooper, who opposed the measure, calls the voters’ desire for a rational drug policy “symbolic” since state law still criminalizes pot possession. It’s true that Denver can’t override state law, but nothing requires Denver police to arrest individuals for personal use possession, and it’s clear that Denver residents would prefer law enforcement to have more sensible priorities.
The legalization campaign stressed that marijuana is a safer alternative to alcohol, and argued that permitting adults to make a responsible choice to smoke pot could reduce the evils associated with drinking. It’s a strategy rooted in common sense that may appeal to voters elsewhere.
"A Denver victory clearly means that the drive to end marijuana prohibition has become a mainstream issue," said Bruce Mirken, spokesman for the Marijuana Policy Project in Washington, D.C. "For a city of Denver's size in a red state to endorse something like this is really quite remarkable."
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