Marijuana Giveaway in Denver’s Civic Center Park

A Denver police official defended the department’s decision to stand down as scores of people smoked marijuana joints at a marijuana giveaway in Civic Center park last week.

Deputy Chief David Quinones said the department wasn’t going to incite a riot over a petty offense.

Hundreds of people got free joints during the event that was organized by opponents of Proposition AA, a statewide ballot question over taxing retail marijuana sales.

“Public consumption of marijuana is against the law,” said Councilman Charlie Brown at a council meeting. “We should enforce that law. I don’t believe we can pick and choose what part of the city we can enforce the law.”

Brown and fellow councilwoman Jeanne Robb stated that images of people smoking marijuana in public sends a bad message to the world as the Denver prepares to welcome the new retail marijuana industry.