It's always exciting to see the drug war lose at the ballot box. In 2005, the citizens of Denver, CO voted to legalize possession of up to an ounce of marijuana. Rather than respecting the will of the people they serve, Denver police continued performing marijuana arrests, relying on state laws that remain unchanged.
Yesterday, Denver voters spoke out against the war on marijuana users once again, making marijuana enforcement the city's lowest law-enforcement priority. The measure, which passed with a solid55% 57% of the vote, reads as follows:
The measure won't end marijuana arrests in Denver, but it demonstrates that Denver voters truly are committed to reigning in police who still believe they're serving the community by arresting people for America's pettiest crime. It shows that 2005's victorious legalization vote was not an anomaly. And it sticks a finger in the eye of the Denver City Council, which insanely claimed the measure sent the wrong message, while simultaneously courting Coors Brewing Company to sponsor city facilities.
So long as protecting and serving remains the top law-enforcement priority, arresting marijuana users must be the lowest. That is, until the glorious day when busting people for marijuana ceases to be a law-enforcement priority at all.
Yesterday, Denver voters spoke out against the war on marijuana users once again, making marijuana enforcement the city's lowest law-enforcement priority. The measure, which passed with a solid
The Denver Police Department and the City Attorneyâs Office shall make the investigation, arrest and prosecution of marijuana offenses, where the marijuana was intended for adult personal use, the Cityâs lowest law enforcement priority.Congratulations to our friends at SAFER who've now successfully mobilized the citizens of Denver to challenge marijuana prohibition in their city not once but twice.
The measure won't end marijuana arrests in Denver, but it demonstrates that Denver voters truly are committed to reigning in police who still believe they're serving the community by arresting people for America's pettiest crime. It shows that 2005's victorious legalization vote was not an anomaly. And it sticks a finger in the eye of the Denver City Council, which insanely claimed the measure sent the wrong message, while simultaneously courting Coors Brewing Company to sponsor city facilities.
So long as protecting and serving remains the top law-enforcement priority, arresting marijuana users must be the lowest. That is, until the glorious day when busting people for marijuana ceases to be a law-enforcement priority at all.
Permission to Reprint: This content is licensed under a modified Creative Commons Attribution license. Content of a purely educational nature in Drug War Chronicle appear courtesy of DRCNet Foundation, unless otherwise noted.
Add new comment