POT BACKERS DELAY BILLBOARDS

Measure's Sponsors Defend Ad's Image Of Domestic Abuse

Colorado -- Sponsors of a Denver marijuana legalization ballot
measure announced Monday that they are delaying the debut of three
billboards showing a battered woman.

Political leaders and domestic violence advocates had condemned the
ads for misleading voters and exploiting the tragedy of abused women.
The billboards had been scheduled to appear Monday, but now won't go
up for at least three days. The planned billboards showed a downcast
woman with a black eye, her abuser lurking behind her, and the
slogan: "Reduce family and community violence in Denver. Vote Yes on I-100."

Nowhere was there a mention that Initiative 100's passage would amend
Denver law to make it legal for adults to possess 1 ounce or less of marijuana.

I-100 campaign director Mason Tvert defended the honesty of the
billboard's message - and the central theme of the Alcohol-Marijuana
Equalization Initiative - that marijuana is a safer alternative to alcohol.

He cited local and national studies that indicate booze fuels
domestic violence and injuries and deaths from drunken-driving
collisions, other violence and alcoholism.

A Massachusetts marijuana-reform group, Change the Climate,
independently paid less than $10,000 for the billboards.

Tvert's group, Safer Alternative for Enjoyable Recreation, plans to
announce Wednesday whether it will go ahead with the proposed image
or alter the ad.

"Given that there has been such a backlash, we obviously did not mean
to offend anybody," Tvert said. "It's unfortunate that domestic
violence groups, who are upset by these ads, have decided to be
opposed to this, because we are really trying to raise attention to
that issue."

Denver police and the city attorney have stressed that changing the
local ordinance will have little impact, because the vast majority of
pot-possession cases are prosecuted under state law as a petty
offense, punishable by a fine of up to $100.