DENVER, CO - APRIL 11: Church owner Steve Berke, middle, stands for a portrait with the rest of his crew inside the International Church of Cannabis at 400 south Logan street on April 11, 2017 in Denver, Colorado. They are from left to right: Alec Rubin, Adam Mutchler, Angie Hargot, Steve Berke, Briley Hale, Dave Bogue and Lee Molloy. The interior painting was done by artist Okuda San Miguel. The members of this new church call themselves Elevationists and say that the use of cannabis helps elevate people to a higher form of themselves. They plan to open their doors to the public on April 20th and have a weekend of events planned for the neighborhood to introduce people to this new and unique concept for a church. (Photo by Helen H. Richardson/The Denver Post)

Future of public pot smoking in Denver may be impacted as International Church of Cannabis co-founder heads to court Tuesday

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By Sam Tabachnik

Nearly two years after Denver police busted the founders of the International Church of Cannabis for public pot consumption, one of the leaders finally may have his day in court.

Steve Berke, who co-founded the church in April 2017, is set to appear Tuesday in a Denver courtroom, where he is fighting a misdemeanor charge of open and public consumption of marijuana.

The maximum penalty in the municipal case is $300. But marijuana experts are watching to see how Berke’s case might address a tricky question that has been confusing Denver pot smokers since legalization five years ago: What is considered “open and public” marijuana consumption?

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