BRECKENRIDGE POT INITIATIVE PROPONENTS KICK OFF VOTING

Early Voting In Summit County Started Monday, Nov. 3 Is Election
Day

BRECKENRIDGE - With early voting in Summit County now open, Sensible
Breckenridge - the local marijuana reform group - held a press
conference Monday to promote ballot measure 2F, or the
decriminalization of marijuana in the town.

Breckenridge voters will consider whether to remove criminal penalties
from the Breckenridge town code for the private possession of up to an
ounce of marijuana by adults 21 and older. The county's official
election day is Nov. 3.

"It's got a really good chance at passing," said Brian Vicente, the
executive director of Sensible Colorado. But, Vicente also said the
measure's supporters must mobilize this month to vote to change the
town code.

Sensible Colorado is a state nonprofit working to create a system
where drug use becomes a health issue, not a crime issue. According to
its website, the organization wants to do this through "innovative
drug policy reform" focusing on education, treatment opportunities and
reductions in "incarcerations, crime, drug use by minors, and strains
on the judicial system and police departments."

Gary Lindstrom - a long-time Breckenridge resident, law enforcement
veteran, and former state representative and county commissioner -
also spoke in support of reform at the press conference, held on the
steps of the old County Courthouse.

"Based on my experiences in law enforcement and at the state
Legislature, I believe we need to stop criminalizing responsible
adults who choose to relax at night with marijuana," Lindstrom said.

According to Lindstrom, too much money and time goes into policing
private marijuana use - "Our priorities are misplaced," he said. "We
should decide to save billions of dollars and use it on health care
and education."

Lindstrom also said he believes marijuana to be "an innocuous drug" -
not a a gateway drug leading to cocaine and heroine use. And he noted
that alcohol-related deaths have occurred in the county, but there
have "been no such problems with marijuana. Let's stop punishing
adults for making the safer choice when recreating."

Vicente added that minor marijuana convictions have serious impacts on
people's lives, citing difficulties with finding employment, entering
the military or receiving student financial aid.

The Breckenridge Police Department didn't comment on the marijuana
decriminalization ballot question.

Caitlin Row