Fertile Ground highlights the hottest state and national issues surrounding marijuana reform. This column is brought to you by Brian Vicente, the Executive Director of the advocacy group Sensible Colorado, and a partner at Vicente Consulting LLC, a full service medical marijuana law firm.
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gton, Law Clerk, Sensible Co
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On a wintery day in February 2009, Dylan was alone at his home in Summit County, sitting on his couch smoking marijuana. He heard a knock and got up to answer the door. Waiting for him was a Summit County Deputy eager to ask him questions about his possible involvement in an automobile accident. “It’s a little early to be smoking weed this morning,” the deputy said, and gave him a criminal citation. Later that day, the deputy found out Dylan had no connection to the automobile accident. Despite local efforts to legalize the possession of marijuana in places like Denver, Breckenridge, and Nederland, marijuana-related arrests continue to rise in Colorado. From 2002 to 2007, marijuana arrests in Colorado increased from 10,058 to 12,358 per year. Of those 12,000-plus arrests in 2007, more than 95% were for simple possession. (Marijuana sale and cultivation accounted for the remaining arrests.) How do arrests for other illegal drugs compare? Surprisingly, marijuana arrests accounted for 62% of all Colorado drug arrests in 2007. Unfortunately, young people take the brunt of these police encounters— males under 25 accounted for over half of all the marijuana arrests in 2007. A conviction for marijuana possession, which is a petty offense for two ounces or less, will still appear on a person’s criminal record, and forever hinder ones opportunities in obtaining employment. Although the fine for marijuana possession cannot exceed $100 ($200 with court costs), the costs are much higher, especially for young and poor people. For example, this petty criminal offense threatens a person’s chance of receiving financial aid for college, which for many potential students means the end of their higher education goals. What can you do to stop these injustices? Dozens of Coloradans a day are joining the 2012 Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol and helping to put an end to these unnecessary arrests. The Campaign’s first goal is to collect roughly 85,000 valid signatures of registered Colorado voters, which are needed to qualify the initiative for next year’s election. Circulators are already collecting signatures, so be sure to register to vote and sign a petition. Once the signatures are gathered, the Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol Act will appear on the statewide ballot in November 2012. This law will make the adult use of marijuana legal, establish a system in which marijuana is regulated and taxed similarly to alcohol, and allow for the cultivation of industrial hemp. The entire text of the initiative is available on the website at www.regulatemarijuana.org, as well as updates on upcoming events and places to sign-up for those interested in donating or volunteering with the campaign.
Let’s stop arresting and start regulating! 54