The Marijuana Legalization Watch Thread

[alnorth]

Originally Posted by DaFace

This thread is split out from the 538 thread. As mentioned below, it's looking like the marijuana legalization initiatives in Colorado and Washington both have a decent chance of passing, so here's a thread to talk about it. I know legalization as a philosophy has been discussed on the Planet ad nauseum, so I'd suggest this thread be used primarily to talk specifically about the potential impacts of legalization in these states rater than as a general philosophy, but it's not like I dictate discussion around here either.

Take this poll with a grain of salt because drugs always seem to under-perform their polling, but PPP says amendment 64 is winning in CO, 52-44.

This amendment would outright legalize and regulate the cultivation, manufacture, sale, and recreational use of marijuana. That would set the state up for a showdown with the feds which the feds will obviously win, but it could drive the issue further.

[DaFace]

Originally Posted by alnorth

Take this poll with a grain of salt because drugs always seem to under-perform their polling, but PPP says amendment 64 is winning in CO, 52-44.

This amendment would outright legalize and regulate the cultivation, manufacture, sale, and recreational use of marijuana. That would set the state up for a showdown with the feds which the feds will obviously win, but it could drive the issue further.

It's been consistently polling as a "yes" for months now. At this point, the only question is whether all the stoners will get out of bed to vote.

Washington will likely pass their own version as well.

[BucEyedPea]

Originally Posted by DaFace

It's been consistently polling as a "yes" for months now. At this point, the only question is whether all the stoners will get out of bed to vote.

[dirk digler]

Originally Posted by DaFace

It's been consistently polling as a "yes" for months now. At this point, the only question is whether all the stoners will get out of bed to vote.

Washington will likely pass their own version as well.

60 minutes did a story on Colorado pot a couple of weeks ago. It was interesting to hear that most people agree that the legalization of medical pot saved Colorado's economy and helped boost it.

[cosmo20002]

Originally Posted by dirk digler

60 minutes did a story on Colorado pot a couple of weeks ago. It was interesting to hear that most people agree that the legalization of pot saved Colorado's economy and helped boost it.

Skyrocketing sales of cheetos and burritos alone helped keep the doors open at many a Taco Bell and 7-11.

[DaFace]

Originally Posted by dirk digler

60 minutes did a story on Colorado pot a couple of weeks ago. It was interesting to hear that most people agree that the legalization of medical pot saved Colorado's economy and helped boost it.

Yeah, the MMJ industry here has clearly paved the way for this amendment to pass. It really is essentially legalized here already. All you have to do is know the right places to go and complain about your "chronic pain" and you're set.

While that in and of itself probably isn't a good thing, the fact that everyone knows that's basically how it works has caused the general public to realize that it's basically been legal here for years, and everything's fine. No huge uptick in teen usage (which has actually declined a bit), no major issue with traffic accidents (DUIs have declined a bit), no major issues with domestic violence, etc. Essentially, a lot of people have realized that the world isn't going to end if it is legalized.

The only major concerns that I have are:

1. What will the feds' response be? They have mostly looked the other way for medical MMJ, but recreational could very well create an all-out battle.

2. What will the impact be on the tourism industry? It could very well go either way. Some people might stay away because of legal pot, but others may come here just for that. My guess is that it's a net neutral impact, but tough to say.

3. How will this impact other neighboring states? Will people start coming to Colorado to buy it, then smuggle it out to other areas of the country? That's not a good thing, though you could probably argue that it's better to be benefiting legal businesses SOMEWHERE than the black market.

Anyway, I'm hopeful that it passes and very curious to watch the battle unfold. Frankly, I think A64 in Colorado is a more exciting race than the POTUS race this year. At least one of the two options is appealing.

[dirk digler]

Originally Posted by DaFace

Yeah, the MMJ industry here has clearly paved the way for this amendment to pass. It really is essentially legalized here already. All you have to do is know the right places to go and complain about your "chronic pain" and you're set.

While that in and of itself probably isn't a good thing, the fact that everyone knows that's basically how it works has caused the general public to realize that it's basically been legal here for years, and everything's fine. No huge uptick in teen usage (which has actually declined a bit), no major issue with traffic accidents (DUIs have declined a bit), no major issues with domestic violence, etc. Essentially, a lot of people have realized that the world isn't going to end if it is legalized.

The only major concerns that I have are:

1. What will the feds' response be? They have mostly looked the other way for medical MMJ, but recreational could very well create an all-out battle.

2. What will the impact be on the tourism industry? It could very well go either way. Some people might stay away because of legal pot, but others may come here just for that. My guess is that it's a net neutral impact, but tough to say.

3. How will this impact other neighboring states? Will people start coming to Colorado to buy it, then smuggle it out to other areas of the country? That's not a good thing, though you could probably argue that it's better to be benefiting legal businesses SOMEWHERE than the black market.

Anyway, I'm hopeful that it passes and very curious to watch the battle unfold. Frankly, I think A64 in Colorado is a more exciting race than the POTUS race this year. At least one of the two options is appealing.

You guys are lucky out there I wish MO was smart enough to do this. To answer your questions it is hard to tell what Obama will do with this issue in his 2nd term. He looked the other way for awhile but they have been going after people\business in the last year or so. If he wouldn't have done that Colorado would have been decided long ago. If Romney by some miracle wins you can count him going after that law and trying to stop it.

I think you are right in regards to 2 and 3

[Brock]

Originally Posted by DaFace

Yeah, the MMJ industry here has clearly paved the way for this amendment to pass. It really is essentially legalized here already. All you have to do is know the right places to go and complain about your "chronic pain" and you're set.

While that in and of itself probably isn't a good thing, the fact that everyone knows that's basically how it works has caused the general public to realize that it's basically been legal here for years, and everything's fine. No huge uptick in teen usage (which has actually declined a bit), no major issue with traffic accidents (DUIs have declined a bit), no major issues with domestic violence, etc. Essentially, a lot of people have realized that the world isn't going to end if it is legalized.

The only major concerns that I have are:

1. What will the feds' response be? They have mostly looked the other way for medical MMJ, but recreational could very well create an all-out battle.

2. What will the impact be on the tourism industry? It could very well go either way. Some people might stay away because of legal pot, but others may come here just for that. My guess is that it's a net neutral impact, but tough to say.

3. How will this impact other neighboring states? Will people start coming to Colorado to buy it, then smuggle it out to other areas of the country? That's not a good thing, though you could probably argue that it's better to be benefiting legal businesses SOMEWHERE than the black market.

Anyway, I'm hopeful that it passes and very curious to watch the battle unfold. Frankly, I think A64 in Colorado is a more exciting race than the POTUS race this year. At least one of the two options is appealing.

1. The fed response may be to try to fight it in the courts, if at all.

2. I don't live in colorado, but I go there a lot. Weed is already everywhere, on every ski slope, on every trailhead, in every little boutique mountain town. Tourism isn't going to be affected by this, certainly not negatively.

3. Hell yes, people are going to come to colorado to buy. It is a good thing for colorado, it's MONEY.

[DaFace]

Side question: is there enough interest in the marijuana legalization stuff around here for that to be its own thread? It's a big topic of interest for me, but I don't know what's been beaten to death in here and don't want to bother if I'm the only one who cares.

[Mr. Kotter]

Originally Posted by DaFace

Side question: is there enough interest in the marijuana legalization stuff around here for that to be its own thread? It's a big topic of interest for me, but I don't know what's been beaten to death in here and don't want to bother if I'm the only one who cares.

I'm sure it could be re-hashed again....heh.

[Dayze]

Originally Posted by Mr. Kotter

I'm sure it could be re-hashed again....heh.

I see what you did there

[-King-]

Originally Posted by DaFace

Side question: is there enough interest in the marijuana legalization stuff around here for that to be its own thread? It's a big topic of interest for me, but I don't know what's been beaten to death in here and don't want to bother if I'm the only one who cares.

Yeah. Those threads are always interesting.

[alnorth]

Originally Posted by DaFace

Side question: is there enough interest in the marijuana legalization stuff around here for that to be its own thread? It's a big topic of interest for me, but I don't know what's been beaten to death in here and don't want to bother if I'm the only one who cares.

It'll die with a whimper if the measure fails, but if it passes, I bet it blows up, so sure, why not?

[Donger]

The pot thing is interesting. I read recently that there are more pot shops in Denver than Starbucks and liquor stores.

[LiveSteam]

Originally Posted by Donger

The pot thing is interesting. I read recently that there are more pot shops in Denver than Starbucks and liquor stores.