The Colorado Secretary of State's office is considering whether to approve a ballot item that would legalize possession of less than an ounce of marijuana for personal use by adults, the Grand Junction Daily Sentinel reported Aug. 14.

"It shouldn't be illegal," said Lori Fickey, 24, who recently received a misdemeanor citation for possessing a small amount of marijuana. "You have people out there who do things with alcohol. That's where you see most of your crime."

But others argue that cases like Fickey's are already relatively uncommon in Colorado; an analysis of the ballot question by the Legislative Counsel's office found that there were 3,700 convictions for possession of an ounce or less of marijuana in 2005. The offense is considered a class-2 petty offense, punished by fines up to $100.

Mesa County District Attorney Pete Hautzinger says that marijuana possession should not be legalized because the drug is a "gateway" to harder drug use, and he also disputes supporters of the ballot item who say the measure will free police up to pursue more serious offenses.

"In the last couple years -- more on anecdotal than statistical evidence -- I've become convinced of marijuana's effect," Hautzinger said. "Practically every case I have seen come across my desk, as elected DA, that has involved marijuana has involved methamphetamine. It's rare that we see just marijuana possession cases anymore."

"Outside of marijuana dealing we aren't directing resources at combating the drug," Hautzinger added. "We're not sending officers out door to door to find people smoking a joint."