Marijuana.com

Buzzby

Colorado Voters Should Have Chance to Make Marijuana Legal for Adults This November
Group that made Denver first major U.S. city to legalize marijuana to submit nearly twice as many signatures as necessary to place statewide initiative on 2006 ballot
Mason Tvert | SAFER Campaign | 08/07/2006

DENVER - The proponents of a ballot initiative to make marijuana legal for adults under state law will submit its petition today to the Colorado Secretary of State's Office. This petition will contain nearly twice as many signatures as necessary to qualify the initiative for the ballot.

The valid signatures of just fewer than 68,000 registered Colorado voters are needed to place a measure on the November ballot. The organization that coordinated the petition drive, Safer Alternative For Enjoyable Recreation (SAFER), will submit more than 129,000 signatures on Monday to Colorado Secretary of State Gigi Dennis.

SAFER was responsible for the introduction and passage of Initiative 100 in Denver last year, which was approved by a majority of voters and made the city the first in the country to vote to remove all penalties for private adult marijuana possession.

"The fact that we collected nearly twice as many signatures as are required under statute highlights the widespread support for ending the madness of marijuana prohibition in Colorado," said SAFER Campaign Director Mason Tvert.

"Last year's victory in Denver clearly demonstrated the support we're receiving in the state capitol," Tvert said. "But tens of thousands of signatures poured in from Colorado Springs, Grand Junction and other areas of the state outside the Front Range. This just goes to show that regardless of Colorado citizens' political persuasions, many agree that punishing adults for using a substance less harmful than alcohol is an absurd waste of time, money and life."