Pot Activists Plan To Fight Tax Increase By Giving Away Joints
DENVER (CBS4) - Marijuana activists were planning to be at Civic Center Park on Monday to hand out thousands of joints.
The effort is being done in protest of a proposed marijuana tax.
Organizers spent the day Sunday rolling up the joints in preparation for the protest.
The pot advocates plan to give the joints away to anyone over 21.
In November, Colorado voters will be asked to support a 25 percent tax on recreational marijuana.
Marijuana supporters like Miguel Lopez told CBS4 the tax is extreme and will force marijuana sales back into the black market.
"The legislators just want to overtax the marijuana industry and over-regulate it as well," Lopez said.
Denver City Councilman Charlie Brown disagrees.
"We will all be affected by this industry and we need to be ready for it -- administratively, from the police perspective and from a public health perspective, and that's what we need this money for," Brown said.
The Denver Police Department said they are aware of the plans for the protest and said that if there is illegal activity they will take action.
"Let's keep one thing in mind, the black market is an illegal criminal activity. And if you are caught you are going to face the consequences," Brown said.
Lopez said they are expecting a variety of people will join them in their protest.
"We're expecting homeless men, stoners, friends countrymen and women and supporters for justice and liberatarians and tea partyers who don't believe in overtaxation of the government," Lopez said.
Brown said he has been "dealing with this issue now for more than five years."
"The message hasn't changed," he said. "Let's allow it. Let's allow recreational marijuana. Let's allow medical marijuana. But let's be sure to tax it so we can pay for the services that are going to be put on our city and our state."
