Steve Fox [Executive Director, Safer Alternative for Enjoyable Recreation]: "The purpose of the Amendment 44 campaign in Colorado was to stimulate a debate in the state about the rationality of laws that allow adults to use alcohol while prohibiting the use of marijuana. Specifically, the Amendment 44 campaign framed all of its arguments so that the listening public would be educated about the fact that marijuana is less harmful — both to the user and to society — than alcohol. We cited statistics about domestic violence, sexual assault, and annual deaths caused by each substance to back up our argument.

Because the use of marijuana was decriminalized in Colorado in the 1970s, the current penalty for the possession of up to one ounce of marijuana is a $100 fine and it is considered a petty offense. Amendment 44 proposed making the possession of up to one ounce of marijuana legal for adults, thus eliminating the fine and any other penalty for individuals 21 years of age and older. Since Amendment 44 did not pass, the possession of marijuana will remain a petty offense and individuals cited for possession will be fined $100. Despite coming up short in the polls, the campaign undoubtedly succeeded in raising the profile of the issue and conveying our message."