cannabisnews.com: CU Students OK Easing Pot Penalties CU Students OK Easing Pot Penalties Posted by CN Staff on April 16, 2005 at 16:21:04 PT By Brittany Anas, Camera Staff Writer Source: Daily Camera Colorado -- University of Colorado students this week approved a measure that asks officials to ease up on marijuana penalties. The referendum, put forth by the Boulder-based group Safer Alternative For Enjoyable Recreation, asks that university officials make sanctions for marijuana use no more severe than they are for comparable alcohol violations. Polls in the campus wide election closed Friday night. Students approved 10 of the 11 referenda that were put before them. The marijuana referendum was one of the more popular ones, earning 3,926 "yes" votes. To pass, a referendum must earn 10 percent of the student body vote, according to the election rules. "We are very happy," said Mason Tvert, director of SAFER. "This demonstrates what our organization and many of the students at CU feel, and that is that marijuana is safer than alcohol. The current penalties put forth by the university are not sensible." In a statement released this week, CU officials said there is little difference in the severity of sanctions for illegal drugs and alcohol violations. Both are punished by probation, community service and a drug and alcohol program, officials said. "CU Boulder will not be bound by the outcome of the student referendum," the statement said. Tvert said officials would be negligent if they did not heed the student vote. Colorado State University students also passed SAFER's referendum in their campus elections earlier this month. Among the other referenda approved by students was one that asked them to pay an extra 45 cents per semester for Student Emergency Medical Services, a group of medical students at CU who would staff parties and events held by campus organizations. Students voted down a fee increase that would have funded the Colorado Crew team. That was the only referendum that did not pass. Students also elected new representatives. Preliminary results Friday night showed that students Jeremy Jimenez, Brad Long and Mo Gebre-Michael will be the next tri-executives. Their "Golden Ticket" won 50 percent of the votes cast in the three-way race. The winning students campaigned on a platform that included providing free self-defense classes on campus, increasing funds for the ethnic studies department and supporting environmental projects on campus. The University of Colorado Student Union is comprised of executive, legislative and judicial branches and oversees a budget that exceeds $25 million a year. Note: New student leaders also elected; fee for crew fails.Source: Daily Camera (CO)Author: Brittany Anas, Camera Staff WriterPublished: April 16, 2005Copyright: 2005 The Daily CameraContact: openforum thedailycamera.comWebsite: http://www.thedailycamera.com/Related Articles & Web Site:Safer Choicehttp://www.saferchoice.org/SAFER Hosts Rallyhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread20501.shtmlReferendum Makes Its Way Onto ASCSU Ballothttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread20439.shtmlCSU Students Get Marijuana Referendum on Ballothttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread20422.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #3 posted by ekim on April 18, 2005 at 20:18:12 PT "Drug Legalization and Terrorism Funding" at Apr 20 05 Colorado University: "Drug Legalization and Terrorism Funding" 07:30 PM Jay Fleming Boulder Colorado USA Numerous student groups from The University of Colorado welcome Jay Fleming for a presentation and panel discussion of "Drug Legalization and Terrorism Funding". The panel will be discussing how the illicit market for drugs is funding terrorist groups throughout the world and how legalization could help to deter this effect. Location: Glenn Miller Ballroom, University of Colorado campus. http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread20529.shtml#15http://www.leap.cc/events http://www.leap.cc./howard/ [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by potpal on April 17, 2005 at 04:23:15 PT We can hope One of these students will some day run for president!The suns shines bright this morning and I'm an optimist. [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by mayan on April 16, 2005 at 16:38:08 PT CU & CSU Hats off to the D.A.R.E. generation! [ Post Comment ] Post Comment