Breckenridge, Colorado Voters May Legalize Pot, Paraphernalia

[tekisui]

Source: The Raw Story

bOn Tuesday, Breckenridge, Colorado could become the latest American city to legalize recreational use of marijuana for adults.

The legalization measure, placed on the ballot after campaigners turned in a petition with almost three-times the number of signatures required, would also permit adults to posses bongs, pipes, bubblers and other so-called marijuana paraphernalia.

Allowing paraphernalia would be a first for U.S. voters, according to Marijuana Policy Project spokesman Bruce Mirken, who spoke with the Associated Press. "I don't think there's anywhere else in the country that has legalized paraphernalia," he said.

In Colorado, the current penalty for being caught with marijuana paraphernalia is $100.

According to Colorado's Summit Daily News, the Breckenridge petition needed 500 signatures, but over 1,400 were collected. If the measure passes, the town will remove all penalties for adults found in possession of up to one ounce.

"It will not make it more available to minors, won't make it legal to smoke it on the street, won't get you out of trouble if you're stoned behind the wheel," the Daily News opined in an editorial supporting the measure. "What it says is that if you, as an adult, choose to possess small amounts of marijuana for personal use, you won't be busted for it. It's still a much more stringent law than those that apply to alcohol — a substance you can own as much as you want of and consume in public."

The paper added: "Eventually, it seems these small possession busts will be a thing of the past state-wide, which makes us conclude some kind of 'nuisance pot smoke' ordinance needs to take their place — roughly analogous to public intoxication statutes."

"'We don't want to spend our tax dollars prosecuting this, so we're saying, let's just stop it,' said Sean McAllister, a Breckenridge attorney who proposed the ordinance," according to ABC 7 News in Denver.

more: http://rawstory.com/2009/10/breckenridge-colorado-voters-legalize-pot-paraphernalia/

[ensho]

1. kick

nt

[MissMarple]

2. This is a big dilemma in Colorado.

The voters passed a medical marijuana law several years ago. The legislature has never followed up with any regulations. There is an outlet about a block or so away from Palmer High School in downtown Colorado Springs. Big oops! And the city has a law saying they must police violators of federal law. That is a big financial oops!

The city is scrambling for money and cutting basic services. Do I feel their pain. Not really. The council has pandered to the wingers to stay elected. The city has a Tabor law as well as the state Tabor law. Guess which one is more restrictive? There are enough wing nut voters here who want to make this city look like Soviet Russia circa 1950 that they might actually pull that off. We'll see.

[MissMarple]

3. Here are a couple of articles from the Denver Post, this week pot has been a major feature.

There are quite a few more.

http://www.denverpost.com/ci_10452384

http://www.denverpost.com/headlines/ci_13673556

And here is one from the Colorado Springs Gazette. The pain and the angst. :eyes:


http://www.gazette.com/articles/colorado-64393-council-marijuana.html

[PretzelWarrior]

4. I like the paraphanelia shop in Portland, OR called Interstate 420

with the US interstate logo and everything.

[Cha]

5. I've skied in Breckenridge

back..so beautiful. This is surreal but so logical.