cannabisnews.com: More Ski Towns May Vote To Change Pot Laws
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More Ski Towns May Vote To Change Pot Laws
Posted by CN Staff on November 05, 2009 at 06:08:13 PT
By Brent Gardner-Smith, ADN Staff Writer
Source: Aspen Daily News
Colorado -- While Pitkin County and Aspen have long had a reputation for a casual approach to drug enforcement, it may be Durango that is the next Colorado ski town to legalize adult possession of up to an ounce of pot and the paraphernalia used to smoke it. A group called Sensible Durango is preparing to put a ballot question in front of Durango voters in November 2010. “We’re pretty confident it will pass like it did in Breckenridge,” said Corey Chavez of Sensible Durango.
On Tuesday, 71 percent of voters in Breckenridge approved changing the town’s municipal code to remove penalties on Jan. 1 against holding small amounts of pot and paraphernalia.Brian Vincente of the statewide marijuana legal reform group Sensible Colorado said Aspen is not a likely candidate for a campaign to change its laws as the city’s municipal code is silent on marijuana possession. Instead, the Aspen Police Department and the Pitkin County Sheriff’s Office rely on Colorado state laws regarding pot possession. It is a petty offense, and a $100 fine, under state law to possess less than an ounce of pot and another petty offense and a $100 fine for possessing paraphernalia.Vincente said Aspen citizens could perhaps pass a measure to mandate that the local police department place a low priority on enforcing state marijuana laws, as Denver voters did in 2007, but Aspen Police Chief Richard Pryor said it is already a low priority in his department to write tickets for minor pot possession.“There are enough other issues to deal with,” Pryor said. “If we observe it, we will contact. And we’ll often confiscate marijuana and often lecture and release the person.”He said, however, that being caught driving under the influence is a more serious matter.Pryor also said most citations for pot possession in Aspen are related to another infraction, such as fighting in a bar or some other alcohol-fueled transgression.So far this year in Aspen, there have been eight arrests for marijuana, including six for possession, one for paraphernalia and one for both pot and paraphernalia. There were 24 arrests in 2008 for pot and paraphernalia possession in Aspen, 18 in 2007 and 28 arrests in 2006. Total arrests between 2006 and 2008 ranged from 372 to 474 a year.Chavez of Sensible Durango plans to begin gathering up to 5,000 signatures in June to ensure his group has the required 1,200 citizen signatures to put the measure on the Durango ballot. Getting caught today with pot in Durango can include up to a $1,000 fee and 90 days in jail.“What’s cool about all these ski towns, because of our population size, is that it is easier to pass these kinds of things and get media attention,” said Chavez. “It motivates people and inspires them to work to change these laws.”Chavez said Sensible Durango is modeling its approach on the one taken this fall by Sensible Breckenridge, which in turn worked closely with Sensible Colorado.“Breckenridge now has the best marijuana law of any city in the lower 48,” said Vincente of Sensible Colorado, whose ultimate aim is to see marijuana regulated in the state in the same manner as alcohol. He said that changing municipal laws will make it easier to convince state legislators to ultimately change state laws to that effect.One of the differences between Breckenridge’s new law and laws in other towns is that it makes it legal, at least under city code, to possess both pot and the tools to smoke it.Vincente said he is also talking actively with a group of people in Leadville who want to change that city’s laws about pot and paraphernalia possession. And he is willing to help other budding activists.“They can definitely get in touch with Sensible Colorado,” he said. Other ski towns with municipal pot laws on their books include Crested Butte, Dillon, Winter Park. Like Aspen, Snowmass Village, Vail and Boulder do not have municipal pot laws.The results of the pro-pot Breckenridge vote generated a lot of post-election media coverage and references to a “Rocky Mountain high.” But the Breckenridge ski resort had a no-nonsense response to the election results.“In spite of the outcome of this vote, the possession and use of marijuana other than for medical use remains illegal under Colorado state law and using any ski lift or ski slope or trail while under the influence is prohibited under the Colorado Ski Safety Act,” said Pat Campbell, chief operating officer and senior vice president of Breckenridge Ski Resort in a prepared statement.Melanie Mills, the CEO of Colorado Ski Country USA, said it was too soon to know if Breckenridge’s new law might scare off families from taking a vacation there. She also said her organization was closely watching the spread of medical marijuana dispensaries to see if there were any impacts on ski town tourism.“We agreed to watch and understand what the implications are, but not to overreact,” Mills said.When asked if he thought families might be put off from booking a vacation to Breckenridge, Aspen Skiing Co. spokesman Jeff Hanle said he doubted it.“I would question how many of those skiing families are really going to be aware of it,” Hanle said about the change to the Breckenridge municipal code. “But I think the snack business there will go through the roof.”Source: Aspen Daily News (CO)Author: Brent Gardner-Smith, Aspen Daily News Staff WriterPublished: Thursday, November 5, 2009Copyright: 2009 Aspen Daily NewsWebsite: http://www.aspendailynews.com/URL: http://drugsense.org/url/2EsrpE8yContact: http://drugsense.org/url/PBfHu0YtCannabisNews -- Cannabis Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/cannabis.shtml 
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Comment #14 posted by Sam Adams on November 05, 2009 at 12:53:19 PT
skiing
it's not a coincidence that cannabis is popular with mountain culture.Cannabis is a bronchodilator, so it helps you get more air at high altitude. It doesn't affect your motor skills & reactions nearly as much as alcohol. And alcohol dehydrates you, which is another significant problem at higher elevation. I can still remember the one time I tried to drink 3 beers with my buddies and then ski - all 3 of us were like "this sucks!" never did it again. 
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Comment #13 posted by duzt on November 05, 2009 at 11:36:09 PT
smoking on the hill
I can't imagine not smoking up here on the mountains of the sierras. It's very much in the open (lift operators usually have bongs hidden near by up here) and it's very much a part of the scene. Good herb and boarding/skiing have always gone together.
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Comment #12 posted by Sam Adams on November 05, 2009 at 11:09:01 PT
Massachusetts
hey you can ski here and not get arrested! of course the mountain is SLIGHTLY smaller:http://www.wachusett.com/TheMountain/TrailMaps/tabid/461/Default.aspx
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Comment #11 posted by Sam Adams on November 05, 2009 at 11:07:42 PT
breck
ah, brings back some memories, when the weather is nice those upper bowls are awesome! Breck is a great ski area.Now that I think about it, the next one of these should include a urine testing provision - banning employment testing for cannabis. That would probably be effective at the city level and I doubt they'd lose any votes by including it.
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Comment #10 posted by The GCW on November 05, 2009 at 10:37:03 PT
New law puts Breck on the MAP
Breckenridge now has the best marijuana law of any city in the lower 48Speaking of map, here is a link to the Breckenridge ski area trail maphttp://www.skisite.com/trailmapviewer.cfm?id=129The skiing is on the Ten Mile Range and mountain bikers can cross it in summer.
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Comment #9 posted by Sam Adams on November 05, 2009 at 10:30:32 PT
media
interesting article in that it completely ignores the most pressing issue for working people in Colorado's ski towns - urine testing.Many of the big ski corp's drug test every employee, of course cannabis is the only thing that will really show up.These local votes could be a great way to force the ski mountains to treat their $6/hour workers better while they take care of the rich elite at Vail and Aspen.
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Comment #8 posted by FoM on November 05, 2009 at 08:27:39 PT
MikeC
You're very welcome. Since I only see state's as to how their Spirit's are I thought these songs might be nice to hear in celebration of Colorado's victory and future victories.We saw John Denver in concert one time. It was wonderful.
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Comment #7 posted by MikeC on November 05, 2009 at 08:11:20 PT
John Denver: Rocky Mountain High...
FoM...That is an awesome video...Colorado is a beautiful state!Thank you for posting that.Mike
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Comment #6 posted by FoM on November 05, 2009 at 07:57:12 PT
Just More About Colorado 
Rocky Mountain High: Friends around the campfire and everybodys High. ***Poems, Prayers & PromisesWhile all my friends and my old lady sit and pass the pipe around.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N7P8pPYSXhk
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Comment #5 posted by FoM on November 05, 2009 at 07:52:20 PT
John Denver: Rocky Mountain High
Go Colorado!!!URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OwARpaKHx_w
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Comment #4 posted by josephlacerenza on November 05, 2009 at 07:48:28 PT
The New Green Economy
I see these moves as a preemption of things to come.Imagine, these ski towns know of the cannabis use and would rather embrace change as appose to fighting it. I used to live in Steamboat Springs Colorado, a big ski town in the north, and cannabis use was ubiquitous!! It is better to position themselves as friendly to THE cause, because it sets them apart from other ski destinations such as Alta in UT.I can say with some confidence that Alta is NOT going to legalize cannabis in the near future!!! 
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Comment #3 posted by FoM on November 05, 2009 at 07:32:08 PT
NYT: Using Marijuana Stores To Market Food 
November 4, 2009 After Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. announced in March that he would end the Bush administration practice of frequently raiding medical marijuana dispensaries, the dispensaries have been growing, appropriately enough, like weeds.Among the 14 states with medical marijuana laws, Colorado has experienced particularly brisk growth in the stores. From fewer than two dozen dispensaries in the state in January, there are now more than 60 just in Denver and nearby Boulder, and more than 10,000 registered medical marijuana patients statewide, according to reports in Westword, a Denver alternative weekly. URL: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/05/business/media/05adco.html
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Comment #2 posted by FoM on November 05, 2009 at 06:24:25 PT
duzt
Thank you for the link. I did see it and post it on this thread.http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread25141.shtml
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Comment #1 posted by duzt on November 05, 2009 at 06:14:37 PT
FOM
Not sure if you noticed this article, thought it was interesting and proving the antis wrong again.http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20091105/lf_nm_life/us_dutch_cannabis
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