Backers of a City of Denver ballot initiative to allow marijuana in public establishments like bars and restaurants have dropped the effort in favor of working with city council members on an ordinance.

“After a challenging five-week signature gathering process, we are not approaching the withdrawal of this initiative lightly,” said a statement from the Denver Limited Social Marijuana Consumption Initiative. “We were persuaded, however, by members of the political and business communities, who requested participation in this process. We look forward to working with them to find a solution amenable to all parties.”

Marijuana use is banned across the state in public.

But it’s up to municipalities whether to allow marijuana use at public establishments (within the state Clean Indoor Air Act that bans smoking indoors).

Colorado Springs municipal code is silent on the issue so there are a number of private marijuana clubs that allow members to pay for entrance and consume pot on the premises.

In Denver those social marijuana clubs are actively shut down under an ordinance that forbids them (although a truly private club like a country club could have a Marijuana Monday type event and that would be legal).

But in neither city are public places like bars, coffee houses or restaurants allowed to permit marijuana use.

Many of the same people who got Amendment 64 on the ballot in 2012 to legalize adult recreational marijuana were involved in gathering signatures to get the public establishment question on the city ballot.

Both the Colorado Hotel and Lodging Association and the Colorado Restaurant Association expressed their thanks that the petition had been withdrawn so they could work together on a solution.

And Denver City Council Member Albus Brooks said he is committed to working on an acceptable solution.

“If we reach a stalemate, and we hope we won’t, we will have the option of placing a new measure on the ballot in 2016, when the electorate will be more favorable for our cause,” said the statement released by the people behind the initiative.