NORML Sent Me A Letter.....

Friends:

Today, on the steps of the state capitol, the organization that successfully campaigned to make the possession of marijuana legal for adults under Denver's city ordinance announced that it is launching a statewide initiative campaign to accomplish the same goal in Colorado. NORML is pleased to inform you that we will be working closely with this campaign to help to make this goal a reality. We are starting that work today by urging our e-mail subscribers to visit http://www.safercolorado.org and to sign up to help the campaign.

Safer Alternative for Enjoyable Recreation (SAFER) will be spearheading the Colorado campaign. SAFER's primary mission is to educate the public that marijuana is less harmful -- both to the user and to society -- than alcohol.

SAFER used this argument successfully during its campaign in Denver by highlighting the fact that alcohol often leads to domestic abuse, sexual assault, and other acts of violence. They noted that alcohol is the direct cause of nearly 20,000 deaths a year in the U.S., while the comparable figure for marijuana is zero. They even held a press conference outside of the mayor's office in Denver at which they called the popular brewpub-owning mayor a drug dealer and noted that he deals a more dangerous drug than marijuana. Denver voters responded to this message by passing the "Alcohol-Marijuana Equalization Initiative" with 54% of the vote. The passage of the initiative generated, and continues to generate, a significant amount of media coverage favorable to the cause of marijuana policy reform. Just yesterday, the Denver Post ran a long article about mothers in the city who use marijuana -- often instead of alcohol -- for recreation and/or relaxation.

Like the Denver initiative, the Colorado initiative, if adopted, would eliminate all penalties for the private possession of up to one ounce of marijuana by individuals 21 years of age and older. Assuming the campaign -- with the help of people like you -- collects enough signatures to qualify the initiative for the ballot, the citizens of Colorado will vote on the measure on November 7, 2006.

As SAFER takes its message across the state, NORML leadership will be there to share the wisdom and insights we have gleaned over more than 30 years of working toward marijuana policy reform. We will also introduce SAFER -- as we are doing here -- to many of our friends in the state who we know will be excited about their campaign. Together, we will fight to end the outrageous practice of punishing marijuana users for making a choice that is rational, safer, and normal.

Please visit http://www.safercolorado.org today and volunteer to help the campaign.

Warm Regards,

Allen St. Pierre
Executive Director
NORML

I think were really starting to make progress here. One day at a time.

While possesion of cannabis can be legalized at a state or local level, it is still a violation of federal law. Better to outlaw it at the state level, set the penalty at a $1 fine. Plead guilty, jeopardy is attached, you cannot be retried.