Nederland, CO Legalizes Marijuana

By Jeralyn, Section Colorado News
Posted on Wed Apr 07, 2010 at 03:37:07 PM EST
Tags: marijuana reform (all tags)

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Voters in Nederland, Colorado (15 miles west of Boulder) yesterday approved an initiative removing criminal penalties for adult marijuana offenses. The ordinance reads:

Shall the electors of the town of Nederland adopt an amendment to the Nederland town code, effective June 1, 2010, removing all criminal penalties under town law to buy, sell, possess, consume, transport, cultivate, manufacture and dispense marijuana and its concentrate and related paraphernalia by persons twenty one years of age and older?”

482 votes were tallied. On the marijuana initiative, the vote was 259 to 218.

In November, Breckenridge legalized possession of up to one ounce. Question: Is Nederland the first municipality to legalize selling of marijuana for recreational (vs. medical)use?

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Nederland, CO Legalizes Marijuana | 16 comments (16 topical)

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Maybe Nederland will be famous for something (5.00 / 1) (#1)
by ruffian on Wed Apr 07, 2010 at 03:38:10 PM EST

other than the frozen dead guy now!

Perhaps it will become famous (none / 0) (#2)
by Inspector Gadget on Wed Apr 07, 2010 at 03:42:12 PM EST

for increasing its population faster than the state of California did during the great gold rush.


my thoughts (none / 0) (#9)
by Capt Howdy on Wed Apr 07, 2010 at 04:05:47 PM EST

exactly. I was just locating it on a map and considering.


: My favorite spa resort (none / 0) (#16)
by ruffian on Wed Apr 07, 2010 at 10:12:55 PM EST

is right up the road - Gold Lake Lodge. I can't don't think they are technically in Nederland though. Good place to stay for a visit though.

Nederland (5.00 / 1) (#3)
by CST on Wed Apr 07, 2010 at 03:50:25 PM EST

anyone else find it ironic that one of the first places to legalize it here is called Nederland?

: Yep, my first thought. (none / 0) (#15)
by jeffinalabama on Wed Apr 07, 2010 at 09:26:46 PM EST

I spent a lot of time there (5.00 / 1) (#13)
by Repack Rider on Wed Apr 07, 2010 at 07:41:26 PM EST

In the summer of 1970 there was a sign in the grocery store, "Only one hippie in the store at a time."

Seven years later I worked at a recording session at Caribou Ranch just up the road, and the hippie musician money had changed the local attitude quite a bit.

Wait... (none / 0) (#4)
by MileHi Hawkeye on Wed Apr 07, 2010 at 03:53:12 PM EST

...there were actually 218 people in Nederland that voted against this?

appropriate name (none / 0) (#5)
by Nasarius on Wed Apr 07, 2010 at 03:55:20 PM EST

But what's the legal situation? I can't imagine state or federal authorities will be particularly happy if this town becomes a center of marijuana cultivation.

Still, if the local police won't have to waste any time with minor marijuana violations, that's a positive step.

: As I have commented before (none / 0) (#14)
by Peter G on Wed Apr 07, 2010 at 09:07:51 PM EST

It is very misleading to describe local laws like this as "legalizing" possession. They can only mean that local police have no basis to arrest for violation of any local law. Unless the ordinance directs the local police not to exercise their powers (or prohibits the Police Department from spending any tax dollars) to arrest for violations of state law -- or even for a violation of federal law -- the effect is mostly symbolic.

Once (none / 0) (#6)
by lentinel on Wed Apr 07, 2010 at 03:58:21 PM EST

Nederland becomes a tourist attraction, other states will join in.

Perhaps we're at the end of this idiotic prohibition.

: That would be nice (none / 0) (#8)
by Inspector Gadget on Wed Apr 07, 2010 at 04:01:14 PM EST

Perhaps we're at the end of this idiotic prohibition.
As long as nothing is being planned for filling all the vacant jail and prison space.

The (none / 0) (#7)
by lentinel on Wed Apr 07, 2010 at 04:00:39 PM EST

only thing that is, shall we say, naive in this ordinance is that they are "legalizing" it only for people 21 and older.

As they say in "Clueless" - AS IF!

Meanwhile... (none / 0) (#10)
by MileHi Hawkeye on Wed Apr 07, 2010 at 04:39:56 PM EST

...on the other (less than liberal) side of the Square State:

Fruita voters on Tuesday approved a 5 percent sales tax on medical marijuana, making the city the first in Colorado to tax products sold by an industry that has boomed in the Grand Valley...
...The issue appeared to generate little buzz in the community. City Manager Clint Kinney said most people he talked to supported it, either because they were medical marijuana advocates who felt the tax would help legitimize the industry or because they were citizens who simply wanted the industry taxed at a higher level.

not sure I am so upset (none / 0) (#11)
by Capt Howdy on Wed Apr 07, 2010 at 04:41:42 PM EST

about the tax aspect. I actually think it could help get others on board.


: That's my point... (none / 0) (#12)
by MileHi Hawkeye on Wed Apr 07, 2010 at 04:48:33 PM EST

...even on the conservative leaning Western Slope attitudes are changing. A new reality is growing, if you'll pardon the pun.
Kind of like the whole "foot in the door" theory. Hmmm, now where have I heard that of late?