LEGALIZE POT? BOOKIES: NOT A SAFE BET

ASPEN - Online bookies are taking bets on whether the amendment to
legalize possession of marijuana in Colorado will pass in the Nov. 7
election, and they say the odds are against it.

"Everybody has an opinion," said Mickey Richardson, chief executive of
BetCRIS. "Now they can put their money where their mouth is."

BetCRIS (www.BetCRIS.com) is an online booking agency based in Costa
Rica. The company, Richardson said, takes recommendations from clients
and turns "water cooler talk" into wagers. In the past, he's given
odds on everything from presidential races to whether Jimmy Hoffa's
body would be found.

Richardson's online oddsmakers say it's 1.6-1 odds on the "yes" vote
and 1-to-2 odds for "no" for Amendment 44 to pass, which would allow
Coloradans 21 or older to posses up to an ounce of marijuana. Nevada
has a similar initiative on the November ballot, and bookies are
giving the same odds in Nevada as in Colorado.

BetCRIS bookies calculate odds based on previous amendments regarding
marijuana, the polls and the many media reports.

If the amendment to the Colorado constitution passes, it still would
be illegal to grow, sell, drive under the influence of, or openly
display, use, or consume marijuana.

Some critics are concerned with provisions that would allow those
older than 21 to give marijuana to people 15 or older as long as there
is no compensation. It would remain illegal for anyone younger than 21
to possess any amount of marijuana.

"I would bet it would pass in Denver, Boulder, Aspen and some of the
other resort counties," said Aspen Mayor Helen Klanderud, but added
that she doubts the amendment will pass statewide. She added that even
in Aspen there is more of a family focus now, and the measure might
not pass.

"I think we forget when we live here how conservative other areas of
the state are," Klanderud said.

Pitkin County Sheriff Bob Braudis also predicts the measure will pass
locally, in Colorado's other resort areas and in Denver and Boulder,
but will get trounced in the rural, agricultural areas of the state.

"Colorado is a state largely governed by farmers and Ford dealers," he
said. "It's going to take the voters to make these changes."