Measure Passes By 3 To 1 MarginThe skiing town of Breckenridge voted Tuesday night by a margin of nearly 3 to 1 to legalize the adult possession of marijuana.Breckenridge
voters passed Measure 2F, which removes criminal penalties from the
town code for the private possession of up to one ounce of marijuana by
adults 21 and older. The ordinance also removes criminal penalties for
the possession of bongs, pipes and other drug paraphernalia.It passed 73 percent to 27 percent.
"This
votes demonstrates that Breckenridge citizens overwhelmingly believe
that adults should not be punished for making the safer choice to use
marijuana instead of alcohol," said Sean McAllister, a Breckenridge
attorney who proposed the ordinance.
The measure's victory is
considered symbolic because it conflicts with state and federal laws.
However, supporters of the measure say it inches the whole state closer
to full legalization.Other cities around the country have taken
similar action in recent years, including a measure in Denver that
decriminalized possession of marijuana up to one ounce. Advocates
say the Breckenridge proposal goes further than others because it
allows paraphernalia as well. Drug paraphernalia possession in Colorado
is considered a petty offense. Though "head shops" selling bongs and
pipes are common in Colorado, the wares are ostensibly for smoking
tobacco. Paraphernalia charges are usually only filed along with
possession charges. Both are misdemeanors punishable by a $100 fine and
court fees.The penalties aren't serious, but about 100 people a
year in Breckenridge are cited for possession of either marijuana or
paraphernalia, often both. Supporters of the effort say it's not right
to leave small-time pot smokers with a criminal record. The
Breckenridge campaign, which had no formal opposition, received
endorsements from Breckenridge Town Councilman Jeffrey Bergeron, Fmr.
Colorado State Rep. and Breckenridge resident, Gary Lindstrom, and the
Summit Daily News.Measure 2F was placed on the ballot when more
than 1,400 people signed a petition supporting it. It only needed 495
signatures to get on the ballot. The ordinance change will go into
effect on Jan. 1, 2010. Several Breckenridge residents heartily backed the local marijuana effort. "People
think it's a waste of time for the police to be prosecuting these
people," said Elisabeth Lawrence, 30. Smoking pot, she said, is "not
the worst thing in the world to be doing." Nancy Skaj, a clerk at
a Breckenridge grocery store, said the measure could be a boon for ski
tourists who don't have clearance for medical marijuana. "With all the
injuries people get skiing up here, instead of popping pills, they
should just be doing this. It's a lot more natural," she said. Breckenridge has roughly 3,300 voters." |
