Last verified: March 2026

The Campaign That Changed Messaging Forever

The legalization campaign was led by three key figures who proved that messaging matters more than money. Mason Tvert, who had co-founded SAFER (Safer Alternative For Enjoyable Recreation) in 2005 and led successful Denver decriminalization campaigns, partnered with attorney Brian Vicente and spokesperson Betty Aldworth under the banner "Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol."

This framing — treating cannabis as analogous to a legal, regulated substance rather than demanding "drug legalization" — proved devastatingly effective. By comparing cannabis to alcohol (which most voters already accepted as a regulated consumer product), the campaign bypassed the moral and criminal framing that had doomed previous legalization efforts.

Learning From Failure

Amendment 64 succeeded in part because Colorado had already tried and failed. Initiative 44 in 2006 lost 59–41%, teaching organizers that a different approach was needed. The shift from "legalize marijuana" to "regulate like alcohol" reflected lessons learned from that defeat.

The Vote

On November 6, 2012, Amendment 64 passed with 55.32% of the vote. Colorado and Washington (which passed Initiative 502 on the same day) became the first jurisdictions in the world to legalize recreational cannabis by popular vote. Governor Hickenlooper, who opposed the measure, signed it with a quip about Cheetos and Goldfish.

What Amendment 64 Actually Says

Amendment 64 amended the Colorado Constitution (Article XVIII, Section 16) to:

• Legalize possession of up to 1 ounce for adults 21+
• Allow cultivation of up to 6 plants (3 mature) per adult
• Permit gifting of up to 1 ounce between adults
• Direct the General Assembly to create a regulatory framework for commercial production and sales
• Include a local option clause allowing municipalities to prohibit cannabis businesses
• Earmark the first $40 million in excise tax revenue annually for school construction (BEST program)

The First Sale: January 1, 2014

At 8:00 a.m. on January 1, 2014, Iraq War veteran Sean Azzariti became the first person to legally purchase recreational cannabis. He bought 3.5 grams of Bubba Kush and a pack of Dixie chocolate truffles for $59.74 at 3D Cannabis Center (formerly Denver's Discreet Dispensary) on Brighton Boulevard.

At least 24 stores opened across eight towns that day, collectively ringing up over $1 million in sales. Lines stretched for blocks in the snow. Over 100 journalists crammed into 3D Cannabis, and the first transaction was actually performed twice so cameras could capture it. Azzariti still has his original purchase — unopened — in his closet, after museums declined his donation due to federal prohibition.

The right of the people to privacy is recognized and shall not be infringed.

Colorado Constitution, Article II, Section 7