cannabisnews.com: Marijuana Issue Goes Up in Smoke










  Marijuana Issue Goes Up in Smoke

Posted by CN Staff on November 01, 2005 at 21:04:14 PT
By Nancy Lofholm, Denver Post Staff Writer 
Source: Denver Post  

Colorado -- Telluride voters decided Tuesday that law enforcement in this high-altitude resort will not turn its attention away from high times. "Question 200," which asked voters to make enforcement of possession of marijuana by adults the lowest enforcement priority for the Telluride Town Marshal's office, failed by a vote of 308 in favor and 332 opposed.
Many Telluride officials predicted the marijuana measure would be defeated - not because voters in this live-and-let- live town are uptight about marijuana use, but because the ballot issue was not necessary. Enforcement of marijuana possession laws is already a low priority, they said. There were 17 citations issued for possession of marijuana in the past year in this town of 2,300. Most of those tickets were issued after marshals were investigating another crime or accident and spotted marijuana in the process, said Chief Marshall Mary Heller. Question 200 ran into heavy opposition from public officials, including the town board, candidates for that board and San Miguel County Sheriff Bill Masters, who has become nationally known for his criticism of drug laws. Snipped:Complete Article: http://www.denverpost.com/politics/ci_3173180Source: Denver Post (CO)Author: Nancy Lofholm, Denver Post Staff WriterPublished: November 1, 2005Copyright: 2005 The Denver Post CorpWebsite: http://www.denverpost.com/Contact: openforum denverpost.com Related Articles & Web Site:Sensible Coloradohttp://www.sensiblecolorado.org/ Telluride Icy To Pot Issue http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread21242.shtml Pro Pot Laws Called a Success http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread21218.shtmlTelluride Considering 'Sensible' Pot Ordinancehttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread20969.shtml

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Comment #4 posted by FoM on November 02, 2005 at 15:53:12 PT

Related Article from The Rocky Mountain News
Telluride Narrowly Busts Plan To Ease Pot-Law Enforcement***Alcohol ban is tested in Orchard City voteBy Ellen Miller, Special to the NewsNovember 2, 2005A measure that would have eased enforcement of marijuana laws in the ski resort town of Telluride crashed in a close vote. Voters rejected 332-308 a proposal to make busting someone for possession of marijuana the town marshal's "lowest law enforcement priority." 
 
 
 
Supporters felt they could have done better a little later in the season. "This is early November and it's a ghost town until the ski area hires," said Question 200 supporter Brian Vincente. "We lost by a hair, so I think it bodes well for the future of the reform of drug policy." The fate of a measure to loosen an alcohol ordinance in Colorado's only dry town was less clear. In Orchard City, 1,694 eligible voters had the chance to mail in their ballots determining whether a winery should continue to operate. Delta County election officials were verifying signatures on ballots and did not release any results from early counting. There was minimal public debate in either Western Colorado community during the run-up to the election. Other local issues such as town councils and school boards took higher priority among Telluride's 1,197 eligible voters. Opponents said town officials took oaths to uphold the laws of the state and that the issue belongs with the legislature. In Orchard City, Mayor Tom Huerkamp said he had discovered a 1966 election declared the town dry except for 3.2 percent alcohol beer, so the ordinance would have to be amended to allow a 5-year-old winery to continue to operate. But Jim Durr, owner of the Surface Creek Winery, ignored the letter, saying no record of the ordinance exists. He said he obtained all the licenses he needs through the state's Liquor Enforcement Division and would continue selling wine, whatever the vote. "If it goes down, the next step is up to them," he said.Copyright: 2005 Rocky Mountain Newshttp://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/election/article/0,1299,DRMN_36_4204765,00.html
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Comment #3 posted by Sam Adams on November 02, 2005 at 09:05:51 PT

off season
It's the off-season up there, I'm guessing the voters were mostly year-round older residents. Oh well, it's still a shame.
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Comment #2 posted by OverwhelmSam on November 02, 2005 at 05:40:22 PT

A Difference of 24 Votes?
A total of 640 votes in Telluride. Hardly a bustling community with a significant impact on Marijuana policy like Denver. However, it shouldn't be too hard to get an measley 25 pro-Cannabis voters more to the polls in the next vote.
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Comment #1 posted by Taylor121 on November 01, 2005 at 21:31:39 PT

Darn
I really thought this one would pull through. If I had to choose the win that would be more important, obviously Denver's was a more important victory. So this is a night of victory not defeat so enjoy yourselves out there. Oh well on, small potatoes on this town, and we even had the libertarian sheriff oppose it.
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