Pot Becomes Lowest Priority for Denver Law Enforcement

By Alison Gonzalez

Published on November 09, 2007

The measure, favored by 57 percent of the vote, states that adults age 21 and older can possess less than an ounce of marijuana without penalty. In addition, Denver authorities must make the investigation, arrest, and prosecution of marijuana offenders their lowest priority.

The measure proved to be a huge success for Mason Tvert and his group, Safer Alternative for Enjoyable Recreation, or SAFER, who led the marijuana initiative campaign.

Mayor John Hickenlooper, who said Denver's vote reflects a major change in the city's attitude, added that the new law is irrelevant. Police in the Mile High City will still arrest and charge people for marijuana possession because pot is still illegal under state law.

The initiative is the third of its kind in two years. In 2005, SAFER sponsored and passed a similar proposal that decriminalized the possession less than an ounce of marijuana for individuals over age 21. But authorities disregarded the law in favor of unchanged state regulations. Another measure was proposed in 2006 but was defeated by statewide voters.

Denver joins a host of other cities across the country with similar measures, including Seattle, San Francisco, Santa Monica, Oakland, and Missoula.