No pot in public: Woodland Park police will cite smokers

Posted: Wednesday, January 2, 2013 10:23 am | Updated: 10:27 am, Wed Jan 2, 2013.

No pot in public: Woodland Park police will cite smokers Norma Engelberg nengelberg@ourcoloradonews.com Colorado Community Media | 2 comments

Marijuana smokers should not think that the passage on Nov. 6 of Amendment 64, which legalizes the use and possession 1 ounce or less of marijuana for recreational use for adults, means they can light up just anywhere.

Woodland Park Police Chief Robert Larson stated in an email that the amendment doesn't allow the use of marijuana in public.

Section 3 of the amendment prohibits: “CONSUMPTION OF MARIJUANA, PROVIDED THAT NOTHING IN THIS SECTION SHALL PERMIT CONSUMPTION THAT IS CONDUCTED OPENLY AND PUBLICLY OR IN A MANNER THAT ENDANGERS OTHERS.”

“So we will cite people if they are caught smoking marijuana in public,” he states. “(It would) most likely a petty offense. We would cite into Teller County Court.”

Woodland Park City Council has already approved on first reading an ordinance that changes city code to make it consistent with Amendment 64 in regards to the use or possession of marijuana by youths younger than 18 and those between the ages of 18 and 21. Once the ordinance is passed on second reading, cases against juveniles will go to Woodland Park Municipal Court and if it is a first offence, possibly to the city's Teen Court. Young adults 18-21 will be cited to Teller County Court.

Also remember that since the consumption and possession of marijuana is still considered illegal by the federal government, no amount of marijuana can be carried onto federal lands such as national forests and parks. About 36 percent of Colorado is federal land.

While Amendment 64 allows people to grow up to six plants for private use, many municipalities, including Woodland Park, have already prohibited or placed a moratorium on the establishment of new retail marijuana-related businesses. The state legislature is supposed to come up with rules governing recreational marijuana by July 1.

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Posted in News on Wednesday, January 2, 2013 10:23 am. Updated: 10:27 am. | Tags: Colorado, Cannabis, Robert Larson, Marijuana, Denver, Big Lebowski, John Hickenlooper, Cheetos, Pikes Peak Courier View

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2 comments:

colorado7768 posted at 7:37 pm on Thu, Jan 10, 2013.

Posts: 2
Can Teller Country pass ordinance to ban marijuana altogether? If not, when is the next opportunity to repeal? I have already read where people are planning to move here because of the legalization marijuana. The demographics of these people are probably not a good fit for Teller County (and in my opinion Colorado). In addition, lax attitude towards this drug and increased ease of availablity will invariably see in increase in young people (i.e., 12 yrs old)(http://www.casacolumbia.org/templates/NewsRoom.aspx?articleid=692&zoneid=51)
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Spook posted at 5:37 pm on Mon, Jan 7, 2013.

Posts: 1
Yep, cops and other prohibitionists who are crying in their beer, and gnashing their teeth over this will pettily do everythihng they can to retaliate.
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