A grassroots organization in Denton continues to push the discussion around decriminalizing marijuana. Group leaders started a petition that is making its rounds and has more than 2500 signatures.
It’s a topic Denton City Leaders have faced before – decriminalizing marijuana. Just months ago, city leaders took up the topic with just two council members ready to move forward with the idea Now, they’re getting pressure from a group called Decriminalize Denton.
Executive Director and co-founder, Tristan Seikel, said he was inspired by other grassroots movements while attending UNT years ago. Now he’s taken up the banner for cannabis.
“We’re trying to reduce those consequences for society and help save the valuable few public safety resources the public has,” Seikel said.
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Already, Denton has a relatively relaxed marijuana policy compared to many other cities. People caught with a personal amount of marijuana will likely just get a citation. That’s up to two ounces. But Siekel’s group wants to take it a step further – no citation, no arrests on class A and B misdemeanor cases.
“The worst you would encounter from a law officer, if you’re not committing a high commercial trafficking case or committing a violent felony, would be a simple confiscation of marijuana, and the police officer would be required to write a written report, but that would be the extent of it. There would be no citation,” he said.
They’ve collected some 2500 signatures. 1745 those must be verified signatures from registered voters for official consideration, which would put them one step closer to getting a measure on the ballot.
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In Austin, a similar grassroots movement garnered enough signatures to place marijuana decriminalization on the ballot in the upcoming May 7 election.
