Colorado ski town legalizes pot

AP – Joe Warner with the Denver paper Westword examines marijuana at Lotus Medical in Denver on Monday, Oct. …

DENVER – The Colorado ski town of Breckenridge has voted overwhelmingly to legalize marijuana.

Early returns Tuesday night showed the proposal winning with 72 percent of the vote. The measure would allow adults over 21 to have up to 1 ounce of marijuana.

The measure is largely symbolic because pot possession remains a state crime for people without medical clearance. But supporters said they wanted to send a message to local law enforcement to stop busting small-time pot smokers.

The vote comes as communities nationwide are struggling with how to enforce pot laws at a time when medical marijuana has surged in popularity.

Breckenridge: One small step closer to legalizing pot

By Joe Tone in Colorado Crimes, News

Small amounts if this could soon be legal in Breckenridge.

​In the battle to become Ski Country's most weed-friendly destination, the town of Breckenridge has moved one step closer to legalizing the possession of small amounts of marijuana.

The town clerk has certified a petition circulated by Sensible Breckenridge, part of the larger advocacy group Sensible Colorado, verifying that at least 500 of the signatures were not signed "Cheech" or "Stoney McStonerton." The town council will now have a chance to vote on the measure, which would "remove local penalties for the private possession of up to one ounce of marijuana by adults twenty-one or older," Sensible Breckenridge said in a release. If the town council gets all high and forgets to vote on August 11, a measure will appear on November's ballot allowing voters to decide.

And no: Just because Breck's totally your favorite place to board and you'd totally go there every weekend if this law takes effect, that doesn't make you eligible to vote. Nice effort though.