I used to smoke marijuana when I was in high school and college, but have since stopped and I haven't used it in abour 35 years. All of my children are moved out now and my wife and I are going to go on a vacation away from the kids, and we might pass through Denver. I might be interested in smoking marijuana for old times sake, but I'm not looking to get in trouble with the law, so I was wondering just how legal it is. Is it easy to obtain? Am I likely to be part of some sort of loophole? Would I be able to use it in public, and if not where should I go to use it? I have a bounty of questions, but anything you could tell me would help a lot. Thanks.
Long Answer: In 2005, Denver voters amended city ordinances to remove all penalties for the private use and possession of up to one ounce of marijuana by adults 21 and older. The grassroots campaign was coordinated by SAFER, a non-profit organization based in Denver.
Although city police and prosecutors were (and still are) able to exercise discretion and refrain from citing and prosecuting adults for possession, they have chosen to needlessly continue enforcing the state possession law. As a result, SAFER coordinated a statewide ballot measure in 2006 that would have removed all penalties for such activity under state law. That measure fell short, receiving just over 41 percent of the vote.
In 2007, SAFER coordinated a second successful ballot measure campaign in Denver. This time, voters established a city ordinance designating adult possession the city's lowest law enforcement priority and establishing a city panel to implement the ordinance to the greatest extent possible.
In January 2009, the panel reported that possession arrests in the city declined dramatically in 2008, the year following passage of the lowest priority law. This reverses a trend of increasing arrests that had been taking place over the past decade.
You can find out more at http://www.SaferDenver.com (The site needs to be updated to reflect the latest news and panel activities.)