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.

[Pablo]

Originally Posted by Katipan

Can we London bridge a bottle of Jager, then?

Jager is fine. I'm down with that.

I just can't do either of the other two. Jack tastes like somebody put a cigarette out in whiskey and Cuervo is just the debbil.

[Carlota69]

Originally Posted by Detoxing

I like that. Edibles should have a regulated potency and it should be stated on the label.

BINGO! Alcohol has a limit and is labeled, edibles should as well. I think everyone is watching Colorado for what to do nd what not to do. They are showing everyone else what wrinkles need to be ironed out and what we need to focus on to improve the situation.

[Donger]

Originally Posted by Carlota69

Becasue Im pro weed Im an adolescent? Oh well, Id rather be unattractive and full of life than attractive and dead.

I wasn't referring to you.

[DaFace]

Originally Posted by Katipan

Why do you get the extreme examples? What about the vodkas with pictures of cake? They taste better than pot cookies. Easily.

What percentage of all of the liquor consumed would taste good to a kid? Sure, there are flavored liquors that aren't bad, but the vast majority of what will be in someone's liquor cabinet will taste pretty bad to a kid. Or at least bad enough that taking 10 shots at once would be pretty damn tough.

Compare that to edible weed products. What percentage of those taste like crap? And how easy is it to take 10 doses at once?

Again, I'm all for legalization and think that it's awesome that I live in a state that's pioneering all this stuff. But I think part of getting this rolled out more broadly is to acknowledge when there are issues that need to be worked out. Maybe it's just living here, or maybe it's just me, but the "us vs. them" mentality has to go to make this work - it has to be about "what really makes sense to both allow personal freedom and to reasonably protect those who don't know what they're doing."

[Pablo]

Originally Posted by kcfanXIII

tell me, how many people have died from a pot overdose? even with these "super potent" edibles. kids or adults. Go ahead and look for a stat. I'll wait....

It doesn't pose a death threat; but being stoned out of your gourd on edibles is a pretty intense trip if you're a 200 lb. adult.

Let alone a small child. It wouldn't be fun for them. Which is why people should, you know, be parents.

[Donger]

Originally Posted by kcfanXIII

Guess this throws that "think about the children" argument out the window. anybody think drug dealers card?

Not really. See the OP

[DaFace]

Originally Posted by kcfanXIII

tell me, how many people have died from a pot overdose? even with these "super potent" edibles. kids or adults. Go ahead and look for a stat. I'll wait....

Directly? None. But a guy ate a pot cookie and jumped off of a hotel balcony to his death a few months back. It's hard for me to believe there's not a causal relationship there.

Again, lower the dosage. Make sure people know WTF they're doing. That's all.

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by Carlota69

Id rather be unattractive and full of life than attractive and dead.

[Katipan]

100% tastes like crap.
Maybe this is the message that needs to go out.

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by DaFace

Right, but to a five-year-old, what's going to taste better: a pot-infused cookie (that tastes weird, but is otherwise edible) or a shot of Jack Daniels?

Why are we comparing a cookie or piece of candy to Jack Daniels?

Jack Daniels is the equivalent of eating the weed all by itself without any extra flavoring, which is obviously nasty.

Like Kat said, they sell booze with names like "whip cream" and "cherry lifesaver". You can bet your ass kids can drink that and it doesn't taste "nasty" at all.

[Katipan]

I heard there's a microbrewery infusing their beer here. Must find that place and arrange a vacation for the bartender.

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by DaFace

What percentage of those taste like crap?

All of them.

It's a delivery vehicle for the pot. If you crush up an aspirin and sprinkle it on a cookie, the cookie tastes like shit. Pot edibles are the same way.

Originally Posted by DaFace

And how easy is it to take 10 doses at once?

Quite frankly, most of the edibles I've had taste so bad, it's a chore to choke down one dose, let alone 10.

[WhiteWhale]

Originally Posted by Donger

By successful, I take it you mean the tax revenue and pot jobs?

Well, some consider lower crime a positive.

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by WhiteWhale

Well, some consider lower crime a positive.

Pretty sure Donger dismisses that stat. He would probably tell you that it's still a criminal activity and that Colorado calling it legal is a technicality. Kind of like if they suddenly decriminalized murder.

[Halfcan]

Hopefully Mo. will be next!


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