Activists who decided to withdraw a proposed ballot initiative in Denver that would have allowed pot use in bars and other businesses seem to have awakened to reality.
The public wasn’t ready for such a proposal. There was a high probability it would have been defeated at the polls, even in liberal Denver where Amendment 64 passed with ease.
Social pot use
The Denver proposal: Allow more places for pot use in the Mile High
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At the very least, proponents need to narrow the measure’s focus and secure wider support for whatever they propose next time.
One big problem with their original proposal: It appeared to conflict with Amendment 64’s ban on public consumption, which is now in the state constitution. Denver voters are not free to ignore that passage just because activists want a broader license to smoke pot.
Organizations such as the Downtown Denver Partnership and the Colorado Restaurant Association have indicated they are open to discussions regarding a substitute ballot measure. That’s good — so long as the goal is to substantially roll back previous language.
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