Panel To Discuss Trends In Arrests

Denver's Marijuana Review Panel meets today to discuss an increase in arrests and citations after citizens passed two ballot initiatives, including one that directed city officials to make marijuana their lowest law enforcement priority.

The meeting is at 3:30 p.m. in the third-floor law library of the Denver City and County Building.

Mason Tvert, a proponent of the marijuana initiatives, said that 1,600 adults faced charges of misdemeanor marijuana possession in 2007, an increase of 18 percent from 2006, an increase of 36 percent from 2005 and an increase of approximately 50 percent from 2004.

Tvert said he will question the city attorney in charge of prosecutions about the increase during the meeting.

In 2005, Denver voters approved an initiative to allow adults to possess less than an ounce of marijuana. In 2007, voters told city officials that marijuana should be the city's "lowest law enforcement priority" and that the panel would monitor arrests and citations.

The Denver Post