[420 Girl]

Detroiters are one step away from a November vote on whether to allow possession of small amounts of marijuana.

The Detroit City Council's Internal Operations Committee declined Wednesday to vote on amending a city ordinance that would allow anyone 21 and older to legally possess less than 1 ounce of marijuana on private property. The issue is now headed to the Detroit Election Commission for approval of the ballot language.

Advocated by the Coalition for a Safer Detroit -- the group that successfully got medical marijuana placed on the ballot in 2004, which passed -- the ordinance would amend Chapter 38 of the city code regulating controlled substances.

Tim Beck, a registered medical marijuana user who filed the petitions, says the amended ordinance would "free up the Police Department to pursue crimes with actual victims."

In 2009, Beck said, there were 1,500 arrests for misdemeanor marijuana possession in Detroit.

Detroit police spokesman John Roach said the department's legal staff is still researching the impact of legalized recreational marijuana.

The City of Denver and the State of Alaska have similar laws. Legislation in Seattle and California has been proposed.

Dennis Mazurek, assistant corporation counsel with the city's Law Department, told the council's Internal Operations Committee that the ordinance amendment violates state law, specifically, the Michigan Public Health Code, and cannot be enacted. The state allows only registered medical marijuana use.

According to the City Clerk's Office, the coalition submitted 5,750 signatures in May; 3,895 were required and 4,598 were validated.

The City Charter allows voters to enact a city ordinance, or initiative, like this one by petition.

Under the charter, the City Council is required to act within 30 days or pass on the initiative, which the council's Internal Operations Committee did Wednesday by not voting on it.

The initiative will now be reviewed by the Detroit Election Commission, which must approve the petition for the November ballot.

Beck is confident voters will pass the ordinance, as they passed the medical marijuana ordinance in 2004.

"It's going to win," he said. "I have no doubt about that."


NewsHawk: Ganjarden: 420 MAGAZINE
Source: Detroit Free Press
Author: NAOMI R. PATTON
Contact: Detroit Free Press
Copyright: 2010 Detroit Free Press
Website: Will marijuana be OK in Detroit?

* Thanks to MedicalNeed for submitting this article


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