Five years later, Colorado sees toll of pot legalization
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Five years later, Colorado sees toll of pot legalization
Tuesday, November 14, 2017 | Colorado Springs Gazette Opinion
Last week marked the fifth anniversary of Colorado's decision to sanction the world's first anything-goes commercial pot trade.
Five years later, we remain an embarrassing cautionary tale.
Visitors to Colorado remark about a new agricultural smell, the wafting odor of pot as they drive near warehouse grow operations along Denver freeways. Residential neighborhoods throughout Colorado Springs reek of marijuana, as producers fill rental homes with plants.
Five years of retail pot coincide with five years of a homelessness growth rate that ranks among the highest rates in the country. Directors of homeless shelters, and people who live on the streets, tell us homeless substance abusers migrate here for easy access to pot.
Five years of Big Marijuana ushered in a doubling in the number of drivers involved in fatal crashes who tested positive for marijuana, based on research by the pro-legalization Denver Post.
Five years of commercial pot have been five years of more marijuana in schools than teachers and administrators ever feared.
"An investigation by Education News Colorado, Solutions and the I-News Network shows drug violations reported by Colorado's K-12 schools have increased 45 percent in the past four years, even as the combined number of all other violations has fallen," explains an expose on escalating pot use in schools by Rocky Mountain PBS in late 2016.
The investigation found an increase in high school drug violations of 71 percent since legalization. School suspensions for drugs increased 45 percent.
The National Survey on Drug Use and Health found Colorado ranks first in the country for marijuana use among teens, scoring well above the national average.
The only good news to celebrate on this anniversary is the dawn of another organization to push back against Big Marijuana's threat to kids, teens and young adults.
The Marijuana Accountability Coalition formed Nov. 6 in Denver and will establish satellites throughout the state. It resulted from discussions among recovery professionals, parents, physicians and others concerned with the long-term effects of a commercial industry profiteering off of substance abuse.
"It's one thing to decriminalize marijuana, it's an entirely different thing to legalize an industry that has commercialized a drug that is devastating our kids and devastating whole communities," said coalition founder Justin Luke Riley. "Coloradans need to know, other states need to know, that Colorado is suffering from massive normalization and commercialization of this drug which has resulted in Colorado being the number one state for youth drug use in the country. Kids are being expelled at higher rates, and more road deaths tied to pot have resulted since legalization."
Commercial pot's five-year anniversary is an odious occasion for those who want safer streets, healthier kids and less suffering associated with substance abuse. Experts say the worst effects of widespread pot use will culminate over decades. If so, we can only imagine the somber nature of Big Marijuana's 25th birthday.
— Colorado Springs Gazette
Last week marked the fifth anniversary of Colorado's decision to sanction the world's first anything-goes commercial pot trade.
Five years later, we remain an embarrassing cautionary tale.
Visitors to Colorado remark about a new agricultural smell, the wafting odor of pot as they drive near warehouse grow operations along Denver freeways. Residential neighborhoods throughout Colorado Springs reek of marijuana, as producers fill rental homes with plants.
Five years of retail pot coincide with five years of a homelessness growth rate that ranks among the highest rates in the country. Directors of homeless shelters, and people who live on the streets, tell us homeless substance abusers migrate here for easy access to pot.
Five years of Big Marijuana ushered in a doubling in the number of drivers involved in fatal crashes who tested positive for marijuana, based on research by the pro-legalization Denver Post.
Five years of commercial pot have been five years of more marijuana in schools than teachers and administrators ever feared.
"An investigation by Education News Colorado, Solutions and the I-News Network shows drug violations reported by Colorado's K-12 schools have increased 45 percent in the past four years, even as the combined number of all other violations has fallen," explains an expose on escalating pot use in schools by Rocky Mountain PBS in late 2016.
The investigation found an increase in high school drug violations of 71 percent since legalization. School suspensions for drugs increased 45 percent.
The National Survey on Drug Use and Health found Colorado ranks first in the country for marijuana use among teens, scoring well above the national average.
The only good news to celebrate on this anniversary is the dawn of another organization to push back against Big Marijuana's threat to kids, teens and young adults.
The Marijuana Accountability Coalition formed Nov. 6 in Denver and will establish satellites throughout the state. It resulted from discussions among recovery professionals, parents, physicians and others concerned with the long-term effects of a commercial industry profiteering off of substance abuse.
"It's one thing to decriminalize marijuana, it's an entirely different thing to legalize an industry that has commercialized a drug that is devastating our kids and devastating whole communities," said coalition founder Justin Luke Riley. "Coloradans need to know, other states need to know, that Colorado is suffering from massive normalization and commercialization of this drug which has resulted in Colorado being the number one state for youth drug use in the country. Kids are being expelled at higher rates, and more road deaths tied to pot have resulted since legalization."
Commercial pot's five-year anniversary is an odious occasion for those who want safer streets, healthier kids and less suffering associated with substance abuse. Experts say the worst effects of widespread pot use will culminate over decades. If so, we can only imagine the somber nature of Big Marijuana's 25th birthday.
— Colorado Springs Gazette
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"frapper fort, frapper vite, frappée souvent-- Adm William "Bull" Halsey
“We’re not going to just shoot the sons-of-bitches, we’re going to rip out their living Goddamned guts and use them to grease the treads of our tanks.”--Gen George Patton
"Our Liberty is insured by four "Boxes", the Ballot box, the Jury box, the Soap box and the Cartridge box"
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Re: Five years later, Colorado sees toll of pot legalization
A grass roots study ... interesting ...
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Re: Five years later, Colorado sees toll of pot legalization
tabasco wrote:
A grass roots study ... interesting ...
The Education News and the I-News Network must have had a joint session...
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Re: Five years later, Colorado sees toll of pot legalization
Interestingly enough, while vacationing we passed through a small town in Washington state. The main drag consisted of the hotel we stayed at, a pot store, a gas station, a bar and laundromat.
The hotel had no breakfast but the bar next door did.
While eating a HUGE breakfast burrito, we engaged in conversation with a local patron. He saw the bikes from NY and asked my take on the pot laws out there.
He stated that the pot store had gotten so busy that they opened a second location. They took over the IGA across town.
He was trying to raise his kids to eat healthy, etc. Now they have two pot stores, but he has to go to the next town to buy groceries.
The hotel had no breakfast but the bar next door did.
While eating a HUGE breakfast burrito, we engaged in conversation with a local patron. He saw the bikes from NY and asked my take on the pot laws out there.
He stated that the pot store had gotten so busy that they opened a second location. They took over the IGA across town.
He was trying to raise his kids to eat healthy, etc. Now they have two pot stores, but he has to go to the next town to buy groceries.
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Re: Five years later, Colorado sees toll of pot legalization
First line states the date and byline Colorado Springs Gazette Opinion.
Opinion. Everybody has one.
I have one. Recriminalize pot in Colorado. The demand will remain. Criminal cartels from south of the border will again fill that need. Problem solved. My opinion. Illicit trafficking and trade have had routes between Mexico and Colorado for decades. However, it’s a cinch that cartels are not near as dangerous as the horrid wafting of pot smoke in the wind. And beware the evil doers who smoke pot in Colorado... they are worse than Zombies!
Put that in your pipe and smoke it.
Opinion. Everybody has one.
I have one. Recriminalize pot in Colorado. The demand will remain. Criminal cartels from south of the border will again fill that need. Problem solved. My opinion. Illicit trafficking and trade have had routes between Mexico and Colorado for decades. However, it’s a cinch that cartels are not near as dangerous as the horrid wafting of pot smoke in the wind. And beware the evil doers who smoke pot in Colorado... they are worse than Zombies!
Put that in your pipe and smoke it.
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Re: Five years later, Colorado sees toll of pot legalization
I'm afraid I'm with RK on this one. So if you test positive for pot THAT must be why you got in a wreck right? Couldn't be that texting and driving which by the way has the same statistical increase across all states as what they are attributing to pot in Colorado.
Let's see, kid's can't buy pot, but all the school kid's have it? Does that mean they're stealing Mom and Dad's stash? And if pots not illegal in Colorado, why are kid's being suspended for having it? Seems the simple solution is a drug dog at the entrance of the school, problem solved. Take a kid's pot once or twice and they'll stop bringing it.
I'm not buying it and particularly what navigator was told... I mean really, a pot shop located in absence of munchies??? It's unAmerican.
Let's see, kid's can't buy pot, but all the school kid's have it? Does that mean they're stealing Mom and Dad's stash? And if pots not illegal in Colorado, why are kid's being suspended for having it? Seems the simple solution is a drug dog at the entrance of the school, problem solved. Take a kid's pot once or twice and they'll stop bringing it.
I'm not buying it and particularly what navigator was told... I mean really, a pot shop located in absence of munchies??? It's unAmerican.
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Re: Five years later, Colorado sees toll of pot legalization
Dang, Nav! The locals in those towns approach me with a lit doobie and tell me what a cool bike! THEN, we go for a humongous pulled pork burrito and a long neck Coors! Tell ya what. An enterprising group would open a food store on one side of IGA and a pizzeria on the other. No problem. No sniveling allowed.navigator wrote:Interestingly enough, while vacationing we passed through a small town in Washington state. The main drag consisted of the hotel we stayed at, a pot store, a gas station, a bar and laundromat.
The hotel had no breakfast but the bar next door did.
While eating a HUGE breakfast burrito, we engaged in conversation with a local patron. He saw the bikes from NY and asked my take on the pot laws out there.
He stated that the pot store had gotten so busy that they opened a second location. They took over the IGA across town.
He was trying to raise his kids to eat healthy, etc. Now they have two pot stores, but he has to go to the next town to buy groceries.
“Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player, that struts and frets his hour upon the stage, and then is heard no more.
It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury…
Signifying nothing”
Signifying monkey, stay up in your tree. Always lying and signifying, but you better not monkey with me.
It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury…
Signifying nothing”
Signifying monkey, stay up in your tree. Always lying and signifying, but you better not monkey with me.
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Re: Five years later, Colorado sees toll of pot legalization
I agree RK
I mean everyone knows a good buzz ain't good without some munchies
I mean everyone knows a good buzz ain't good without some munchies
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Re: Five years later, Colorado sees toll of pot legalization
Ya see, Tbeck, I recognize a hole needs feeling when I see it, there’s money to be made there. In the pizzeria on Fridays beginning at 4:20 PM dollar draughts and dollar heaped plates of spaghetti with help yourself platters of garlic bread. Separate areas, adults only, for smoking doobies and cigars. Small cabin motel rentals to the rear for those unable to maintain due to too much cheap beer. Jam sessions with musicians sitting in and leaving until closing time.Tbeck wrote: I agree RK
I mean everyone knows a good buzz ain't good without some munchies
“Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player, that struts and frets his hour upon the stage, and then is heard no more.
It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury…
Signifying nothing”
Signifying monkey, stay up in your tree. Always lying and signifying, but you better not monkey with me.
It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury…
Signifying nothing”
Signifying monkey, stay up in your tree. Always lying and signifying, but you better not monkey with me.
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Re: Five years later, Colorado sees toll of pot legalization
Missed your calling RK [emoji106]
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Re: Five years later, Colorado sees toll of pot legalization
I tell the investigators when I'm redoing my clearance each time that if they ever legalized it at the Federal level and it would not jeopardize my clearance....I will run their asses over getting me some weed to take home. Trying it is on my bucket list. I don't mean taking a couple tokes to check it out...I mean I'll get high as a kite!
Until then, NOPE NO WAY
Until then, NOPE NO WAY
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Re: Five years later, Colorado sees toll of pot legalization
The Federal level. Yes. This is an issue best dealt with by state legislators. Anslinger is a lie that existed for far too long. If I enter a state that does not allow pot that is something I can respect even if I don’t observe it, and if I don’t observe it I keep it private and discreet. But I find pot being included in Federal narcotic listing to be a travesty.MadCow wrote:I tell the investigators when I'm redoing my clearance each time that if they ever legalized it at the Federal level and it would not jeopardize my clearance....I will run their asses over getting me some weed to take home. Trying it is on my bucket list. I don't mean taking a couple tokes to check it out...I mean I'll get high as a kite!
Until then, NOPE NO WAY
“Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player, that struts and frets his hour upon the stage, and then is heard no more.
It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury…
Signifying nothing”
Signifying monkey, stay up in your tree. Always lying and signifying, but you better not monkey with me.
It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury…
Signifying nothing”
Signifying monkey, stay up in your tree. Always lying and signifying, but you better not monkey with me.