Reader: The Divide Between Colorado and States to the East Is Like the Berlin Wall

Even before the sale of recreational marijuana started in Colorado on January 1, law-enforcement officers in Nebraska and other states to the east were pulling over Colorado drivers for not much more than having those green-and-white plates. But earlier this month, Nebraska and Oklahoma took their anti-cannabis campaign a step...

By Patricia Calhoun

December 29, 2014

[
        {
          "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Inline Content - Mobile Display Size",
          "component": "12017618",
          "insertPoint": "2",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "2"
        },{
          "name": "Editor Picks",
          "component": "17242653",
          "insertPoint": "4",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "1"
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "18838239",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Combo - Inline Content",
          "component": "17261320",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "18838239",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Air - Leaderboard Tower - Combo - Inline Content",
          "component": "17261321",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        }
      ]

Even before the sale of recreational marijuana started in Colorado on January 1, law-enforcement officers in Nebraska and other states to the east were pulling over Colorado drivers for not much more than having those green-and-white plates. But earlier this month, Nebraska and Oklahoma took their anti-cannabis campaign a step further, when the attorneys general of both states filed suit in the U.S. Supreme Court, asking that Amendment 64 be overturned. See also: Kansas AG Still Looking at Joining Suit Against Amendment 64

Says Tom:

I find it appalling and unacceptable that I, as a Colorado resident with Colorado license plates, would actually now be afraid to drive my car into neighboring states such as Nebraska or Kansas, for fear of being profiled, and subjected to some sort of unlawful search and seizure, by small-time local or state law enforcement. The entire reason for this hinges on the asininity of criminalizing marijuana use. I don't even use marijuana myself, but I think the effort these states go to to make felons out of good people is ridiculous. If I drove to one of these states now, I can only imagine I would feel as if I had crossed from West Germany to East Germany prior to the fall of the Berlin Wall. It is 2014 and it's time for us to evolve as a nation. This petty pot enforcement is entirely out of control and unacceptable!

What do you think about Nebraska and Kansas going after Colorado drivers? What do you think about their lawsuit against Colorado over Amendment 64?

Send tips to [email protected].

KEEP WESTWORD FREE... Since we started Westword, it has been defined as the free, independent voice of Denver, and we'd like to keep it that way. Your membership allows us to continue offering readers access to our incisive coverage of local news, food, and culture with no paywalls. You can support us by joining as a member for as little as $1.

Patricia Calhoun is editor-in-chief of Westword, the alt-weekly she co-founded in September 1977. She’s been inducted into the Colorado Press Association Hall of Fame, the Association of Alternative Newsmedia Hall of Fame and the Colorado Restaurant Association Hall of Fame. She’s also received dozens of local, state and national awards for writing, including first place for feature writing and first place for column writing with the Society of Professional Journalists. Patricia is a weekly commentator on Colorado Inside Out, PBS 12's public affairs roundtable, which has won two Emmys.

Contact: Patricia Calhoun

Follow:

Facebook: patricia.calhoun.927