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Pot Could Become Legal In Two Months

Colorado Voters Will Soon Decide If Marijuana Should Be Legal

POSTED: 6:38 pm MDT August 29, 2006
UPDATED: 7:01 pm MDT August 29, 2006

In November, Colorado voters will decide if people should be allowed to possess small amounts of marijuana.

There have been reports recently that the state's Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) would use $10,000 to campaign against the initiative.

Tuesday, however, DEA agent Jeff Sweetin said that is simply not true. Sweetin opposes the initiative that would make it legal to carry up to 1 ounce of marijuana.

The DEA said it will not overstep its mission, which is to enforce drug laws, but Sweetin said it will continue to educate the public about the dangers of smoking pot.

The DEA said any amount of marijuana should be illegal. The marijuana initiative states that anyone 21 years or older could legally carry 1 ounce of pot or less in Colorado.

"I just see that as totally ludicrous both as a father and as a drug enforcement officer," said Sweetin.

Sweetin said, despite reports to the contrary, his office is not campaigning against it or fundraising.

"We don't have $10,000 in money. There may be organizations that are raising money," said Sweetin. "There is no $10,000 in money that I've ever heard of."

If the DEA were to get involved, Safer Colorado's Mason Tvert said it would be an enormous conflict of interest.

"The DEA is paid to enforce drug laws, not to educate, not to campaign," said Tvert, Safer Colorado's campaign director for legalizing marijuana.

While Sweetin is clear he is not campaigning, he is also not hesitant to share his opinion.

"All the research we see on marijuana continues to tell us it's a very dangerous, addictive substance," said Sweetin.

Tvert said it is no more dangerous than alcohol.

"The prohibition of marijuana, as Jimmy Carter said, is more damaging than the drug itself," said Tvert.

The DEA said if the public comes to them for information, they will gladly share their expertise. As of now, they said, they are stepping out of this debate.

If it passes, the DEA said they will still enforce federal law which makes possessing marijuana illegal.


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