After 6 months, legal pot in Colorado a mix of highs, lows

[Donger]

http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news...ing-up06262014



DENVER - Nearly six months after Colorado became the first in the world to sell legal recreational marijuana, industry advocates are playing up the high points -- specifically an economic boom and crime in Denver actually declining.

"I think a lot of people are looking at Colorado, and when you see crime going down, that’s a huge sign of success," said Michael Elliot, executive director of the Marijuana Industry Group. "I think so many things people were scared about have been shown to be nonsense."

The first four months of recreational pot sales has brought in nearly $11 million in tax revenue, demand for real estate has gone up, and the marijuana industry estimates there are currently 10,000 people working in the business.

On Thursday, the state announced that during 20 undercover operations to test if pot shops would sell to minors, not a single store sold to a child.

"The Division prides itself on ensuring public safety; we are pleased with the results and will continue to monitor the businesses to ensure that the compliance efforts are maintained," said Lewis Koski, Director of the Marijuana Enforcement Division.

But while the state hasn't gone up in smoke, not everyone agrees Colorado is better off and safer.

The state's largest provider of community detox centers, Arapahoe House, reported this week that DUI admissions involving marijuana have nearly doubled since legalization.

In 2013, 8 percent of admissions were accused of driving under the influence of marijuana, and now that's up to 15 percent.

"We're only seeing recreational legalization in it's infancy, but it's already having an impact on public safety," said Araphoe House spokeswoman Kate Edmundson.

7NEWS found small children continue to get their hands on marijuana, particularly edibles.

The Rocky Mountain Poison Control Center said, so far this year it's had 19 calls from people reporting pot ingestion by children younger than 5 years old.

Children's Hospital Colorado said it's treated 11 kids who've ingested edibles marijuana, six of whom have become critically ill.

[Donger]

Originally Posted by Contrarian

Bullshit!

Unless you have the ability to see the future, no, it isn't bullshit.

[Donger]

Originally Posted by rambleonthruthefog

It's funny because your a hypocrite who chooses to expose his children to some dangerous drugs but denounces other legal drugs as very dangerous even though there is no proof of this danger.

I see. Another vote for "it's a harmless plant."

Noted.

[Donger]

Originally Posted by Contrarian

But in the pot DUIs they were stopped for going under the speed limit by 20mph and eating fast food while driving. What a public menace.

Surely you can see how that could be very dangerous.

[Dave Lane]

Originally Posted by KC native

Until they kicked us out. Now it's Utah - the same Mormons.

Actually I'm in Utah right now. Utah > Colorado for beauty and weather. Plus there's no legal pot. I'll expect Donger to immediately move to Utah.

[Donger]

Originally Posted by Dave Lane

Actually I'm in Utah right now. Utah > Colorado for beauty and weather. Plus there's no legal pot. I'll expect Donger to immediately move to Utah.

I'm not a Mormon. Hence, I wouldn't be welcomed as a permanent resident of Utah.

[Dante84]

How much is the state saving from not having to punish and imprison people for smoking weed?

How much of a hit have the drug cartels taken now that their main product is legal in just one state?

How much safer is the weed you are smoking, now that you know and trust where it was grown and how it is dispensed? I'd like to think its nice not having to worry if it's laced with chemicals that prevent it from being detected at the border or on the highway. It's gotta be nice knowing that it wasn't stuffed in a condom and slid up Lupita's ass as she swims across the pristine water of the Rio Grande.

[Dave Lane]

Originally Posted by Donger

I'm not a Mormon. Hence, I wouldn't be welcomed as a permanent resident of Utah.

They'll still take you. There are parts of Utah (which I generally avoid) that are heavily Mormon / Stepford wives friendly. Kinda odd to see 50's moms driving modern cars.

[KC native]

Originally Posted by Dave Lane

Actually I'm in Utah right now. Utah > Colorado for beauty and weather. Plus there's no legal pot. I'll expect Donger to immediately move to Utah.

My mother-in-law and mormons live in Utah. So, I have a natural aversion to that state.

[KC native]

Originally Posted by Donger

I'm not a Mormon. Hence, I wouldn't be welcomed as a permanent resident of Utah.

Time for you to convert then.

[Donger]

Originally Posted by Dante84

How much is the state saving from not having to punish and imprison people for smoking weed?

How much of a hit have the drug cartels taken now that their main product is legal in just one state?

How much safer is the weed you are smoking, now that you know and trust where it was grown and how it is dispensed? I'd like to think its nice not having to worry if it's laced with chemicals that prevent it from being detected at the border or on the highway. It's gotta be nice knowing that it wasn't stuffed in a condom and slid up Lupita's ass as she swims across the pristine water of the Rio Grande.

Perhaps not as much as one might think:

DENVER — Federal agents raided a Denver marijuana dispensary early Wednesday suspected of having ties to a Colombia drug cartel — as the Drug Enforcement Administration announced its first major arrests since the state legalized recreational use of pot in 2012.

Agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration and Internal Revenue Service, along with state and local law enforcement, burst through the entrance of VIP Cannabis and began removing boxes of items, according the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the DEA.

Four men were attempting to mix Colombian monies with the proceeds they were making from selling marijuana in the U.S. to help further their drug trafficking efforts, the DEA said Wednesday. Three men were arrested in Denver, the fourth remains at large.

The men were identified as Hector Diaz, 49; David Jeffrey Furtado, 48; Luis Fernand Uribe, 28; and Gerardo Uribe, 33 and who is at large. They have been charged with a firearms violation, conspiracy and money laundering, among other charges. If convicted, they would face a maximum penalty of more than 40 years in prison and fines of more than $1 million.

Luis Uribe and David Furtado are slated to go before the magistrate on Thursday for a detention hearing and arraignment, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

The raid follows Monday’s unsealing of a federal indictment that charges four men connected to V.I.P. Cannabis in Denver with money laundering related to the cultivation and distribution of marijuana.

According to the DEA, the men set up a shell corporation called the Colorado West Metal to establish a bank account at Wells Fargo Bank in Colorado. They then deposited hundreds of thousands of dollars into the account via wire transfers from Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argenteria (BBVA) and Banco de Occidente — both in Colombia — as well as cashier’s checks and money deposits made from the men’s burgeoning U.S. marijuana business.

The men then used their Wells Fargo account to purchase a large grow house in the Denver area, the DEA said.

Colorado became the first state in the nation to open retail marijuana shops Jan. 1 after voters legalized recreational pot in November 2012.

Attorney General Eric Holder has said the Justice Department was going to respect Colorado and Washington state’s marijuana legalization laws. However, a Justice Department memo to U.S. Attorneys in those states said they can pursue marijuana charges in certain cases.

VIP Cannabis was part of a larger raid in November aimed at unearthing connections to Colombia drug cartels that included more than a dozen Colorado pot shops and cultivation facilities.

The DEA, the Internal Revenue Service and the State Department’s Diplomatic Security Services are participating in the ongoing investigation.

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[Katipan]

I was pretty sad about this report. Pot heads have a vested interest in making this work. But daface's reminder that they had no real system setup for weed duis last year, is comforting. I suppose next year's report will really show what were made of. I'd also really like to know how many of those arrests are stupid tourists as opposed to stupid Coloradans.

Plus, Donger looks nothing like Mr. Bean.

[Donger]

Originally Posted by KC native

Time for you to convert then.

I've spent enough professional time in Utah over the years to have it considered as time served.

[Contrarian]

Originally Posted by Donger

Unless you have the ability to see the future, no, it isn't bullshit.

Obviously you do have that ability. Colorado and Washington are complete idiots for accepting that gateway drug into their lives. Pretty soon all these pot smokers are going to be on meth like the majority of communities in Kansas and Missouri.

[KC native]

Originally Posted by Donger

Perhaps not as much as one might think:

DENVER — Federal agents raided a Denver marijuana dispensary early Wednesday suspected of having ties to a Colombia drug cartel — as the Drug Enforcement Administration announced its first major arrests since the state legalized recreational use of pot in 2012.

The Colombian cartels are shells of what they used to be.

The Mexican cartels are the dominant force in narcotics and make most of the money.

[KC native]

Originally Posted by Donger

I've spent enough professional time in Utah over the years to have it considered as time served.

Sweet, then you are an honorary Mormon already.