[420 Girl]

The Breckenridge marijuana reform group, Sensible Breckenridge, turned in a petition Wednesday with almost three times the required number of signatures to place a measure on this November's ballot.

The measure, if passed, would remove local penalties for the private possession of up to one ounce of marijuana and paraphernalia by adults 21 and older.

“There was overwhelming support for it,” said Breckenridge attorney and chairman of Sensible Breckenridge Sean McAllister.

The petitioners' committee needed 500 valid signatures, or 15 percent of Breckenridge's registered voters from last election, but turned in almost 1,500.

The town clerk will have until July 27 to verify the signatures, but Sensible Breckenridge is confident because they already verified them internally by cross-referencing the signatures with a voters list they received from the county clerk.

“We had a really, really positive response and we're confident it's going to get on the ballot,” said Sensible Breckenridge's Josh Kappel.

The group also said they had to turn a lot of people away who didn't live in Breckenridge that wanted to sign the petition.

“More and more people are coming to the realization that criminalizing a substance that is less intoxicating, less addictive, and less dangerous than alcohol isn't sensible,” McAllister said. “My three points have always been the same: it's about upholding the will of the voters, the wise use of tax dollars and not criminalizing our guests, tourists and residents.”

In 2006, 72 percent of Breckenridge voters supported Amendment 44, which had similar language to this measure but applied to the entire state of Colorado.

Marijuana possession is currently a misdemeanor in Breckenridge, punishable by $100 fine and court costs.

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