Marijuana Policy Project

Pot advocates pushing a ballot initiative that would make marijuana offenses the lowest priority for police in Santa Cruz have gathered enough signatures to possibly place the measure before voters in November.

Santa Cruz Citizens for Sensible Marijuana Policy filed 6,078 signatures with the city clerk Thursday, topping the 3,423 signatures needed by 77 percent, or 2,645 names, Santa Cruz city clerk Leslie Cook said today.

The Santa Cruz County clerk's office has until June 2 to verify that the signatures belong to qualified voters registered in the county, Cook said.

"This measure offers a sensible alternative to the failed federal war on drugs,'' Andrea Tischler, chairwoman of the Santa Cruz Citizens for Sensible Marijuana Policy, said in a statement. "Santa Cruz citizens don't want our police to waste their time and our tax dollars arresting, jailing and prosecuting nonviolent marijuana users.''

According to the group, a telephone survey of 409 registered county voters conducted by opinion and research firm Evans/McDonough Co. in November found that 70 percent of Santa Cruz voters think police should treat adult marijuana transgressions as a low priority.

The same poll found that 85 percent of voters do not think marijuana users should go to prison, and 78 percent said marijuana should be legalized for adult use and sold "through licensed businesses rather than street dealers," according to the survey.

By adopting the city policy, which would also support a "tax and regulate" approach to marijuana use, advocates hope the grassroots effort will eventually balloon into a statewide initiative, making marijuana purchases as legal as buying alcohol or tobacco.

If approved by voters, the policy would also create a seven-member oversight committee, comprised of City Council appointees, two Santa Cruz County district attorney representatives and a police officer. The oversight committee would track marijuana arrests and address grievances brought to the committee by citizens. It would be up to the City Council to take action if the committee finds that the Police Department is not abiding by the policy.

The city ordinance would conflict with state law, which allows medical marijuana use only, and federal law, which prohibits marijuana use for any purpose.

According to Santa Cruz Citizens for Sensible Marijuana Policy, Seattle voters passed a similar measure in 2003, which cut marijuana arrests by 75 percent.

The policy would not protect minors smoking marijuana, individuals selling marijuana to minors, use in public places or driving under the influence.