Marijuana reform was the big winner this past election night. Another domino fell in the municipality of Breckenridge, Colorado, where citizens overwhelmingly voted (72%) to decriminalize possession of small amounts of marijuana and marijuana parapehernalia. It seems that every time this issue is put to a popular vote—whether it be decriminalization in places like Breckenridge or the creation and expansion of medicinal marijuana exceptions in Maine—voters overwhelmingly reject fear and paranoia and make the rational choice.

To put the news in a wider context, here’s an article from The Huffington Post by Mason Tvert, Executive Director and Co-founder of SAFER and co-author of Marijuana Is Safer: So Why Are We Driving People to Drink?:

The ski town of Breckenridge, Colorado, is the latest municipality to remove all penalties for private adult marijuana possession and possession of marijuana paraphernalia. As the Summit Daily reported:

Breckenridge residents voted overwhelmingly Tuesday to decriminalize possession of small amounts of marijuana and paraphernalia Tuesday under town law. In early returns, some 72 percent of voters approved the measure.

The vote means that, effective Jan. 1, people 21 and up in Breckenridge will be able to legally possess one ounce or less of the drug.

This is a noteworthy event in and of itself, but one has to wonder whether legal marijuana could be just what Colorado’s slumping ski industry needs. Ski resorts are offering everything from large discounts to specialty cheeseburgers to attract people to their towns. Perhaps offering skiers and snowboarders a hassle-free environment in which they can relax and recreate with marijuana could do the trick.

As the organizers of the measure pointed out in their press release, the measure could also give extreme sports enthusiasts a safer alternative to alcohol when it comes to post-ride partying.

“This votes demonstrates that Breckenridge citizens overwhelmingly believe that adults should not be punished for making the safer choice to use marijuana instead of alcohol,” said Sean McAllister, Breckenridge attorney and chair of Sensible Breckenridge.

Read the whole article here.

Photo: futuregringo.com

Related Articles:

• Why the Drug Czar Is Right about Marijuana “Legalization”
• Gallup: Support for Marijuana Legalization Hits All-Time High
• In Marijuana Policy, a Shift Toward Understanding

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