Police in Denver kept arresting people for marijuana possession even after voters passed a measure making it legal for adults to have an ounce of the drug or less, so advocates are now pushing another ballot item that would order police to make marijuana enforcement their lowest priority.

The New York Times reported Nov. 5 that the group Safe Alternatives for Enjoyable Recreation sponsored both the 2005 referendum and the current one. The earlier measure was approved by 54 percent of voters, but police ignored it and continued to arrest residents based on state drug laws, which considers marijuana possession illegal. In fact, misdemeanor arrests for marijuana increased 21 percent between 2005 and 2006.

Sgt. Ernie Martinez of the Denver Police Department, who heads the Colorado Drug Investigators Association, said he won't order officers to stop making marijuana arrests even if the latest measure passes. He said that most such arrests occur during investigations of other crimes, and that supporters of the referenda "essentially want to promote self-indulgence of marijuana use at the risk of the public."

Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper also opposes the ballot initiative.

In other cities with similar laws on the books, like Seattle, misdemeanor marijuana arrests have decreased.