Denver floats new rules that could make even the odor of pot a crime

[n2doc]

By Jeremy P. Meyer
The Denver Post

Even the smell of marijuana wafting from your backyard could be illegal if Denver City Council passes a new ordinance.

Denver officials, responding to fears that public pot consumption could become an ever-present problem in the Mile High City, will propose a set of new rules for open consumption and possession of marijuana.

The ordinance, being introduced at a committee meeting Monday in advance of the legalization of retail pot sales in January, would specifically ban marijuana from parks and the 16th Street Mall. It also would prohibit smoking on private property if it is visible to the public, such as on a front porch or in a car, or if the odor of pot could be detected from a neighboring property.

"Your activities should not pervade others' peace and ability to enjoy," said Denver Mayor Michael Hancock. "Marijuana is one of those elements that can be quite pervasive and invasive. I shouldn't have to smell your activities from your backyard."

If the ordinance is approved by council and signed by the mayor, it would take effect immediately. Offenders could face a fine of $999 and up to a year in jail.

more

http://www.denverpost.com/marijuana/ci_24284316/denver-floats-new-rules-that-could-make-even

[Fumesucker]

1. No more outdoor barbecue

I can smell that nasty crud from blocks away sometimes.

[Nuclear Unicorn]

5. You make a strong point about setting a precedent. What's limit to this sort of thing?

[JanMichael]

15. Yep

we are vegetarians. Hate the smell of cooking meat, and we live in BBQ Central. Ban it because it offends us. (it doesn't, but hell....banning "odors?" Please.)

[The Straight Story]

2. Good for them

Just like with smokers, if someone else can smell it they are already dead (or something like that).

Those chickens people have been letting loose to run around for years are coming home to roost. Same principle, applied to a different situation - will be interesting to see how many abandon a ship they helped to build.

[Bluenorthwest]

6. When you say 'smokers' do you mean bbq's and other smokey outdoor cooking methods

which have odors that invade interior spaces as well as exterior whenever some random 'food head' decides he wants to have a 'cook out' on my block?
One assumes that smelly intrusion will be brought to an end as well.

[tridim]

8. +1

The odor of alcohol on people's breath makes me feel sick, fine everyone!

[Bluenorthwest]

13. And of course the other poster will not even try to explain why they think greasy whole pig

bbq's lasting hours on end should be allowed to stank up the neighborhood while a few minutes of smelling someone smoke a joint in their own yard should not.

[The Straight Story]

12. Was referring to previous arguments here about kicking smokers out of homes

Because others complained about the smell of smoke. Guessing those same people that were for that are against this.

[Bluenorthwest]

16. Ah. I think you should not be 'guessing that the same who were for are against' without

showing proof of that. You seemed to be defending a law that would arrest a person for a tiny joint on fire but would allow a person to spend all day smelling up the block with wood coal and beef fat......

[The Straight Story]

19. Actually not 'defending' it

Just using the same arguments others have in anticipation of them chiming in on the issue.

It is a stupid idea - but it is stupid across the board. And those people know who they are, not my job to identify them by name and against the rules anyway.

[ogradda]

3. I'm trying to thnk of somewhere you could smoke pot

without anyone nearby smelling it.

[Nuclear Unicorn]

9. Inside, but then they'll harass people with minor children.

In other words, eff you peasants and your amendment; we're going to do what we want to do and God help you if you get out of line.

[kentauros]

18. Smoke in front of a building's fresh air intake.

Especially if it's for City Hall

[pipoman]

4. The smell of hamburgers on a grill is "pervasive and invasive"

as is perfume, fireplaces, farts, baby diapers, b.o., and a multitude of other odors...I've spent a fair amount of time in downtown denver and the smell of pot would be refreshing next to many other odors there. I understand no smoking in parks, on 16th street mall, and public areas..smoking in or at people's homes is a crock-o-shit and the good councilman and mayor should suffer the rejection of voters if they insist on undermining the vote of the people by putting people in jail for a year who are minding their own business on their own property..

[Nuclear Unicorn]

10. It's harassment to ignore the people's will and impose their own.

[WCLinolVir]

7. Well maybe they should get the facts on just how dangerous wood smoke is.

More dangerous than cigarettes because your lungs can not get rid of the particulates that lodge in your lungs. Repeated exposure is a cancer risk.

[n2doc]

11. And Diesel exhaust n/t

[reddread]

14. the single worst form of pollution

make that stink go away and the rest wont seem so totalitarian.

[MindPilot]

20. I think Denver already restricts fireplace usage.

[tularetom]

17. Opening a can of worms?

What about cigar smoke? Back yard barbecuing? Farts? All of those can be quite "pervasive and invasive" as well.

Plus how the hell are they going enforce this?

Face it guys, it's legal. Live with it.

[Trillo]

21. What about moxa sticks?

They smell just like pot being smoked, at least to me they do.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moxibustion

[frylock]

22. they better start rounding up all skunks then