WASHINGTON – Denver officials have backed off a controversial proposal that would have banned smoking marijuana on private property if it was in public view.
The Denver City Council on Monday rejected an ordinance to prohibit marijuana use on front porches, in front yards, or anywhere on private property in public view, The Denver Post reported.
Many localities in Colorado and Washington state are nevertheless in a race to avoid full-scale legalization by pushing through last-minute laws aimed at telling adults where they can and cannot smoke.
In Colorado, legal pot sales start on Jan. 1. The Denver City Council is expected to take its final vote next week on the revised measure that allows people to smoke on their properties or with permission from the property owner, according to The Denver Post.
Before the reversal, Councilwoman Jeanne Robb last week introduced an amendment that would prohibit marijuana consumption “in any outdoor location on private residential property” where it is “clearly observable from a public street, highway or sidewalk."