PRESS RELEASE, for Immediate Release -- Feb. 13, 2007 Lafayette Council seeks jail-time for marijuana users Measure's backers provide NO evidence to justify ten-fold increase in potential fine SAFER organizing opposition to unreasonable and unnecessary new ordinance Contact: Mason Tvert, SAFER executive director, 720-255-4340 DENVER -- Without presenting any evidence or demonstrating any public support, the Lafayette City Council has given initial approval to a new municipal ordinance that would drastically increase the penalty for private adult possession of a small amount of marijuana. Despite current state law that calls for such violations to be punishable by a maximum $100 fine and no time in jail, the new ordinance mandates up to a $1,000 fine and up to one year in jail. The measure is contrary to the will of the voters in Boulder County, a clear majority of which approved a statewide initiative in November to remove all penalties for possession of up to one ounce of marijuana. Among the Boulder County residents opposed to the measure is Lafayette Municipal Court Judge Leonard Frieling, who according to press sources resigned his position in protest of the proposed ordinance. Safer Alternative For Enjoyable Recreation (SAFER) is organizing opposition to the measure and will be holding a press conference next Tuesday, Feb. 20, prior to the Lafayette City Council's final hearing on the matter. More details on this event will follow. "Given that every objective study has found marijuana to be less harmful than alcohol, we do not see the logic in dramatically increasing legal penalties that will simply drive more citizens to use alcohol instead of marijuana," said SAFER Executive Director Mason Tvert. "Last year, the Lafayette police killed a young man with a Taser for his suspected involvement with marijuana, a drug that has never killed a person in history. Now, they want to start locking people up for possessing small amounts. This is simply absurd." "We challenge the supporters of this measure -- particularly the council members and the activist judge who sought its introduction -- to provide evidence to support their claim that increasing penalties is necessary to reduce some specific societal harm. Further, we suggest that before they take further action on this proposal they examine the extent of alcohol-related problems in their community -- such as domestic violence and sexual assaults -- and attempt to determine whether those types of problems might occur more frequently if citizens are pushed toward the use of alcohol instead of marijuana." Safer Alternative For Enjoyable Recreation (SAFER) is a Colorado-based non-profit organization whose mission is to educate the public about the harmful consequences associated with alcohol, as compared to the safer—yet illegal—substance: marijuana. For more information, see http://www.SAFERchoice.org.