Sep 19, 2006 9:54 pm US/Mountain
Pot Supporters Want Initiative Passed Statewide
by Terry Jessup
DENVER (CBS4) ―
Supporters of the marijuana initiative took to the State Capitol to get more supporters and argue that pot is far less harmful than alcohol.
After the success of the Denver pot initiative, which surprised a lot of people, they figured they have a decent chance of getting this passed statewide. Amendment 44 would make it legal for people of drinking age to possess an ounce or less of pot.
"I can imagine what we look like," said Jessica Peck Corry. "We're probably the last group of people you would expect to be supporting marijuana legalization."
The pro-marijuana forces argued that the "pot prohibition" simply hasn't worked, citing polls that show 86 percent of high school seniors say the drug is "very easy" to get.
"This is what I'm going to tell my children," said Barbara Harvey at the capitol. "Ideally, we would have a drug-free society. We do not have an ideal society so let's at least have safer choices and that's what marijuana is."
"Talk to any high school student about marijuana prohibition and you're going to get giggles and laughter, probably because half of them have tried it," Corry said.
Jeffrey Sweetin, the DEA regional special agent, disagrees with the claims of the marijuana supporters that pot is safer than alcohol.
"All the research suggests it's addictive, it's dangerous, and it's hazardous to the brain," Sweetin said.
While the ballot initiative allows only for adult use, both sides disagree about what message that sends.
"Historically, what that shows is legalize something for 21 or older and all of a sudden the use skyrockets for kids," Sweetin said.
"We need to address this clearly and by legalizing marijuana, we will be able to free up our public resources to have those important dialogues with our children," Corry said.
Political analyst Lori Weigel said she doubts the measure will pass because there will be less support statewide than there was in Denver.
A CBS4/Rocky Mountain News poll found a majority of Coloradans are against Amendment 44.
53 percent said they'll vote no.
42 percent said they'll vote yes.
The rest were undecided.
(© MMVI CBS Television Stations, Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
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