SAFER PUSHING COORS BOYCOTT

The group that persuaded voters to legalize small amounts of marijuana
in Denver has set its sights on the University of Colorado at Boulder.

SAFER (Safer Alternative for Enjoyable Recreation) was slated to ask
CU students Wednesday to boycott Coors products until the Board of
Regents agrees to reduce penalties for students caught on campus with
pot, executive director Mason Tvert said.

The Coors family and Molson Coors Brewing Co. have been longtime
supporters of CU. This year, for example, Molson Coors is paying
$392,000 to sponsor CU football and basketball. The agreement allows
the company to advertise in CU stadiums and on TV and radio broadcasts.

SAFER argues that alcohol is more dangerous than marijuana and that if
CU wants to reduce alcohol-related problems on campus, it should
lessen pot penalties and cut ties with Coors.

"Given the cozy relationship between CU and Coors, we see this boycott
as the best way to attack the university's pro-alcohol policies," Tvert said.

CU-Boulder spokeswoman Pauline Hale declined to comment on the
proposed boycott, saying the university had not seen SAFER's leaflets.

A spokesperson for Molson Coors could not be reached for
comment.

SAFER led this fall's successful campaign to legalize possession of 1
ounce or less of marijuana in Denver for people 21 and older, although
the local law does not trump the tougher state law. Last spring, the
group was involved in successful pro-pot referendums at CU-Boulder and
Colorado State University.

CU-Boulder students voted 3,926 to 1,866 to ask CU officials to make
penalties for students caught with marijuana equal to those for
students caught with alcohol. They also wanted CU to study whether
such a change would lead to fewer alcohol-related problems.