Denver has something called the Denver Marijuana Policy Review Panel, and part of their job is to review and recommend appropriate fines and punishment for marijuana possession in the city and county of Denver. Yesterday, they recommended new guidelines for possession, which will go to the presiding judge for review.
Their recommendation? A fine of $1.00 for possession:
Upon reviewing the fine schedule, we have noted that a number of offenses carry a $50 fine -- including urinating in public, park curfew, and open container violations -- and others carry even lesser fines, such as disobeying a signal light ($40), light rail violations ($26), and spitting in public ($25)," the Panel wrote in the letter. "We are...requesting that you revise the schedule to reflect the lowest law enforcement priority approved by the voters. "[W]e believe the court should reduce the fine to the absolute minimum allowable, or $1.
Denver law enforcement has long considered marijuana possession by adults to be its lowest priority:
"By setting the fine at just $1, we are sending a message to Denver officials that the era of citing adults for using a less harmful drug than alcohol is over. It's simply not worth the city's time or resources," said panel member and SAFER Executive Director Mason Tvert, who coordinated the successful Denver marijuana initiatives.If the recommendation is adopted, Denver will have the lowest fine for marijuana possession in the country. My own opinion is that they should just legalize the stuff and be done with it. Simply treating it like alcohol would do the trick, and might even stimulate the economy, at least as far as paraphernalia and Cheetos go.
Homey's going to be rockin' the ganj in city limits, that's for sure.
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17 comments:
Did they keep the fines and penalties in place for growing?
If you can brew beer for your own use, then you should be able to grew your own weed "for personal use".
Can you have a "personal use" distillery? You can make your own wine an others spirits.....
Nevertheless, I will retire soon and you all can come out and admire my "tomatos"! We dont' bother with legality here is California!
I believe that I have realized a goal! I don't think Mom wants to share in this one, though...
Steve, I don't think so - none of the references I found mentioned growing or distribution - only personal possession.
MG, that might supplement your retirement income!
I think they should make it legal as well. However, no matter what states do, it would still be illegal under Federal law. And the Feds, at least under Bush, went after people at least selling grass in states where doing so was legal under medical marijuana laws.
So that's what they mean when they say Rocky Mountain High!! ;-)
And explains why several friends that moved out there never wandered back south. Here you only get in trouble for moonshine if it poisons somebody, but get caught with a roach in your car and you're toast.
WendyB_09
I concur with the legalization for whatever use, the $1 fine is ridiculous. It would cost more to process the fine. If something is illegal then its illegal, why have a crime with virtually no consequence. Vince is right as long as its a federal crime states are going to have difficulty with whatever laws the create.
Actually, TMG, you can not have a personal still, unless you are making fuel. Distilled spirits for human consumption must be taxed appropriately, that is why there are very, very few micro distilleries, it's not worth the tax hassle.
These guys have a good explanation of it.
So it's pot growin' for me! I doubt that Lemon Grove Po-Leece will make an issue of it, they have other things to attend to.
TMG, perhaps you can place a "pot couch" on the road in front of your domicile.
Because it's worked so well for the Nigerian neighbors, I mean.
::snort::
Think I'm moving to Denver!
Excellent idea! Or maybe better - the back bench seat of an SUV! Although I notice that one is gone too. i live in a high class 'Hood, y'all! NO ONE will notice or bother with a little pot dealing.
A lot of houses in Alaska have a little greenhouse out back. It ain't for planting petunias. There are days down in Girdwood that the pot smoke it so thick the bald eagles can't fly.
Despite the fact that I spent a significant part of my career, and risked my life, to hunt down drug runners - I too think pot should be legalized. Frankly, from a "damage to society is why we make laws in the first place" standpoint, the assholes on Wall Street did more damage to the entire world than all the hemp smoking since the beginning of time.
About the only thing that happens when you drive whilst high is you go too slow. That is if you can get your ass off the couch and away from aforementioned cheetos.
Although I did love the evilness from Reefer Madness.
TMG, did you know it's now a "hit" musical?
My parents had two greenhouses. One for the vegetables, and one for making them feel at one with the vegetables.
Oh, Tania...that last comment got me...and I got the monitor with ginger ale and chocolate...
Around here the latest trick is buying a foreclosed house in a nice neighborhood, multilevel properties work best for this. Set up rooms on the main level to look like a normal house. Black out the rest of the windows and set up the basement and upstairs as grow houses, complete with grow bulb lights on timers and drip irrigation.
Pretty sophisicated operations. Local constabulary bust 2 or 3 of these places a month.
WendyB_09
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