On June 4, Sensible Breckenridge, a local reform group working with Sensible Colorado, filed to remove criminal penalties for adult marijuana possession under the Breckenridge City Code.  The Petitioners’ Committee for this group, as led by Town Councilman Jeffrey Bergeron and local attorney Sean McAllister, will commence signature gathering for this common-sense measure shortly.  If you wish to volunteer, please email info@sensiblecolorado.org.  To read more about this campaign, click HERE.     

In other news, the Colorado Health Department has requested that we include the following link to the Updated Notice and Rules for the July 20th, 2009, Medical Marijuana Hearing.  Link available HERE.    For more information on this Hearing, read below.  Sensible Colorado will be providing additional updates– and coordinating a grassroots response– as this Hearing draws closer.  Be sure to sign up for our email updates above!

Show your support on July 20th by attending the Hearing and Board vote!

Also, many of you have already submitted written comments to the Board of Health. Thank you. Any new or additional comments need to be submitted by May 15.  Instructions for sending new comments are detailed HERE.

Sensible Colorado’s Fifth Anniversary Gala:  Saturday, May 23, 2009

For the past five years, Sensible Colorado has served as a leader in drug policy and medical marijuana issues in Colorado.  Please join Sensible Colorado staff and supporters as we celebrate our fifth anniversary!

What: Sensible Colorado’s Fifth Anniversary Gala

Where: Atlantis Community Center (201 S. Cherokee St., Denver 80223)

When: Saturday, May 23 from 6-9pm

What else: Light hors d’oeuvres and drinks provided.  This FREE event is non-smoking.  Award ceremony and short program at 7:00pm.  Casual attire.  More details to follow.

The Board of Health has officially postponed its vote to restrict medical marijuana patients rights.  The vote was initially scheduled for March 18th and will be moved to a date to be announced– likely in June.

This delay is a direct result of the overwhelming grassroots response which the Board received when it announced this vote– including the hundreds of emails and letters sent by supporters like yourself.

However, our fight is not over.  We will need your support again this summer as we battle these restrictions to safe access.  Please donate today to allow us to continue our important work.

The Colorado Health Department is acting to restrict patient access to medical marijuana.  In March the Board of Health will be voting on a rule which would rip patients out of safe caregiver relationships, and force them into the streets in search of their life-giving medicine.  Help fight this threat to safe access by showing your support on March 18, 2009.

What: Solidarity event to help protect safe access to medical marijuana

Place: 4300 Cherry Creek Drive S., Denver 80246 (Colorado Health Dept. Building)

Time: Noon on Wednesday, March 18

What else: This is NOT a rally. This is a formal hearing and we NEED you to dress nice and act in a professional fashion. Signs and banners will not be allowed in the building– so don’t bring them.   If you have a compelling story which you would like to share at this Hearing, please send an email outlining your concerns to brian@sensiblecolorado.org

-ALSO-

If you attended this historic training, or just support our work, please donate so we can keep fighting for marijuana reform.

Sensible Colorado’s Brian Vicente was named Chairman of the Denver Mayor’s Marijuana Oversight Panel in early 2008.  This Panel is tasked with implementing Denver Ordinance 38-176 which states that “The Denver Police Department and the city attorney’s office shall make the investigation, arrest and prosecution of marijuana offenses, where the marijuana was intended for adult personal use, the city’s lowest law enforcement priority.”  This law was passed by 57% of Denver voters in November 2007.

(Photo credit Rocky Mountain News 2008)

2000:  Colorado passes Medical Marijuana law  

2005:  Denver becomes the first U.S. city to vote to remove all penalties for private adult marijuana possession.

2008:  Sensible Colorado and Safer join forces to embark on an even larger mission– bringing together citizens, organizations, and elected officials from around the state to work toward our shared goal of an alternative to marijuana prohibition.

Join our email list today to recieve alerts about this exciting new campaign.

“This is a victory for Denver voters and for supporters of marijuana reform throughout Colorado.”

—Brian Vicente, Executive Director

Sensible Colorado earned a great victory with the dismissal of all charges in the Initiative 100 “Test Case.” Sensible Colorado’s Executive Director, Brian Vicente, led the legal defense team of Eric Footer, a Denver resident and real estate consultant who was cited for possession of a small amount of marijuana and possession of marijuana paraphernalia the day after I-100 went into effect. Denver voters approved I-100 in November by a 54-46 margin, making the private adult possession of less than an ounce of marijuana legal under city ordinances.

“This is a victory for Denver voters and for supporters of marijuana reform throughout Colorado” said Vicente. “In November, Denver citizens voted to stop arresting adults for responsible marijuana use, and today City officials have upheld the will of the voters. It is our hope that the dismissal of charges in this Test Case will send a message to the Denver police that they should cease arresting responsible adults who choose to use marijuana, and instead focus police resources on more serious crime.”

Read the Rocky Mountain News article.

On November 2, 2005, a historic day for marijuana reform, the majority of Colorado voters facing marijuana issues sent a strong message that reform is needed.

54% of Denver voters agreed: no city penalties for personal possession.

In Denver, voters passed I-100, an ordinance to abolish city penalties for the adult personal possession of marijuana, with 54% of voters approving the measure. Meanwhile, on the other side of the state, a measure to make adult personal possession of marijuana the lowest law enforcement priority, was narrowly defeated—by a mere 24 votes—by rural voters in Telluride.

Sensible Colorado provided support for these campaigns by training activists, building alliances, and activating reform voters.

“No longer can marijuana reform voters be referred to as a minority. This vote shows that at least half or more of Colorado voters are firm in their belief that the government’s war on marijuana is a failure” said Brian Vicente, Executive Director of Sensible Colorado.