Public Consumption Initiative Will Not be on the Colorado Ballot

We reported a few months ago on the fact that some activists in Denver were trying to get an initiative on the November 2015 ballot that would allow for public consumption of cannabis in some spots in the city, like properly designated bars and clubs. As exciting as this idea was, it looks like it is not going to come to light any time soon, as the activists behind this measure are going to have it pulled from the ballot this year.

According to The Denver Post, they are doing this in order to strike a compromise with business people and city leaders in Denver, and they already have a verbal agreement to do so. In order not to ruffle any feathers with the powers that be, they want to work out an ordinance that can be agreed upon by all parties, and will not cause a stir if it goes through.

“We’re not approaching the withdrawal of this initiative lightly,” Mason Tvert, who helps head up the Marijuana Policy Project and was one of the authors of Amendment 64, told The Denver Post. “We believe that cannabis users deserve the freedom to congregate and socialize to the same extent as alcohol users.”

This initiative originally had some pretty good backing—activists got plenty of signatures when they put the question of public consumption to the people, coming up with 10,700 total. There is also a clear demand for some kind of solution to the no-smoking-in-public problem—Denver is filled with dispensaries, and there is nowhere to publicly smoke. However, this bold new idea raised some red flags with city officials, who were worried this would be too much too soon.

Councilman Albus Brooks, the representative for most of downtown Denver, claimed that taking the time to talk this over instead of voting now “ensures we now have the time and ability to include all interested stakeholders to reach consensus on this important issue.” He continued, “I am committed to working on a broadly acceptable solution.”

“Our respective industries are committed to working with the proponents and the city to find a solution that reflects the interests and concerns of all stakeholders,” added the Colorado Hotel and Lodging Association/Metro Denver Lodging Council and the Colorado Restaurant Association in a statement, agreeing that this wait is for the best.

“We can’t guarantee an outcome on it, obviously, but it’s something we’ve been looking at,” added Ashley Kilroy, who serves as the Executive Director for Denver Marijuana Policy. “We do believe that there’s area for conversation around this and that there’s a lot of other considerations.”

So far, it is not exactly clear what these talks will entail, or when they will take place. The new ordinance that is worked out could be anything from allowing a few cannabis clubs to open up in the city, to letting restaurant owners allow smoking and vaping outside or in certain areas if they see fit. The idea is to feel out the concerns of all involved parties and see if a compromise will be reached. The initial news that public consumption won’t be coming to Denver in 2016 is a bit disappointing, but due to the momentum legal cannabis has built up in the city so far, it is only a matter of time before some sort of public use is approved.