US

Denver Poised To Pass Nation’s First Laws On Social Marijuana Use

Shutterstock/ Stepan Kapl

Daily Caller News Foundation logo
Steve Birr Vice Reporter
Font Size:

A ballot initiative in Denver to legalize social marijuana use is close to securing victory after officials revealed updated election results Monday night.

Initiative 300 seeks to let any business, ranging from cafes to yoga studios, get a permit to create “consumption areas” for smoking marijuana. Pot clubs are already legal in Colorado but the measure looks to expand the types of businesses that can secure a permit for marijuana use.

The local neighborhood or a business group must approve of the smoking area before a permit can be granted, reports The Denver Post.

Critics of the ballot fear it will further promote smoking marijuana in public, which is illegal throughout the state of Colorado. Advocates counter that a greater array of private smoking areas will limit public use and overall help the public health.

“This is a victory for cannabis consumers who, like alcohol consumers, simply want the option to enjoy cannabis in social settings,” Kayvan Khalatbari, co-owner of Denver Relief Consulting, told The Denver Post. “It is also a victory for the city of Denver, its diverse neighborhoods and those who don’t consume cannabis, as it will reduce the likelihood that adults will resort to consuming in public.”

Ballots are still being counted, but the chances of it being defeated are slowly narrowing to nothing. The ballot had just a 1.3 percent lead on election night, but the margin widens as more ballots come in. As of Monday, the margin is 6 percent, with roughly 53 percent of voters supporting the initiative.

Marijuana activists won major ballot victories on Election Day in states across the country. Medical marijuana legalization passed in Florida with 71 percent support and also secured passage in Arkansas and North Dakota.

Voters in California, Nevada, Massachusetts and Maine all approved measures with wide support to legalize marijuana for recreational use. The initiative in Arizona is the only recreational marijuana ballot that failed to pass.

Follow Steve on Twitter

All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.