Colorado police say no impact after 1 year of legalization - Polidicks

[url]http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/legalized-marijuana-what-colorado-looks-like-1-year-after-amendment-64-1.2918622[/url] [QUOTE]t's been a year since Colorado became the first U.S. state to legalize marijuana for recreational use, and CBC's Reg Sherren travelled to Denver to see how some $1 billion US in sales has impacted the state's capital. The city, which has a population of about 650,000, has more than 60 marijuana outlets, which sell different hybrids of the drug as well as cookies, creams, pipes and T-shirts. Just a decade ago, it was illegal to sell alcohol on a Sunday but now anyone 21 years or older is allowed to purchase marijuana. Colorado gets high on pot revenue, marijuana tourists Map: Marijuana use around the world As more tourists are drawn to experience the city's marijuana culture, thousands of jobs have been created, including a cannabis critic for the local paper. Police officers were worried when Amendment 64 first passed, a Denver police officer tells Sherren, but that fear turned out to be unfounded. "We found there hasn't been much of a change of anything," he said. "Basically, officers aren't seeing much of a change in how they do police work." But not all lawmakers are convinced legalization is the right route. Gov. John Hickenlooper recently called legalization reckless, while Denver Mayor Michael B. Hancock said he's against legalization. Despite their concerns, the state has collected some $60 million US in pot tax revenue since passing the amendment. Last month, Hancock spent $4 million on new programs for the city. But because legalization remains illegal on the federal level, most major banks are reluctant to handle the money marijuana dispensaries bring in and businesses are unable to use credit or debit cards. The manager of 3D Cannabis Centre says being robbed is his biggest fear and he worries about it daily. Watch Sherren's full report by clicking on the video above. [/QUOTE] This is a pretty refreshing change from all the doom and gloom B.S law enforcement still somehow wants people to believe. I wonder how long it will be until they stop towing the prohibitionist line completely.

[quote]The manager of 3D Cannabis Centre says being robbed is his biggest fear and he worries about it daily.[/quote] And that fear probably increases because he's forced to do everything in cash.

I live in Colorado and haven't noticed much other than, y'know, pot shops popping up all over the place. Most people keep to themselves, although there are a few that are inconsiderate and smoke in public elevators/restrooms/etc, but from a legal and financial standpoint it's really been nothing but good news.

Agreed, I haven't noticed any changes since pot was legalized. My grandpa in California thinks we all walk around in public smoking joints though, it's funny.

I saw that once, and it was last January, in front of a Cheba Hut. Which, if you know anything about Cheba Hut...

Its hilarious how all of these government officials are ignoring the fact that there has been nothing but good results from it's legalization. If you asked them what harm it has brought they wouldn't be able to answer, but they would continue condemning it with their dumbass prohibitionist logic. It's astounding that an entire state has demonstrated proof that only good can come from it's legalization. A Major step forward in eradicating mass ignorance.

Surprise, the only thing that changes is potheads aren't being thrown in jail anymore. Everyone that wanted to get high was [I]already getting high[/I].

[QUOTE=DiBBs27;46980885]Its hilarious how all of these government officials are ignoring the fact that there has been nothing but good results from it's legalization. If you asked them what harm it has brought they wouldn't be able to answer, but they would continue condemning it with their dumbass prohibitionist logic. It's astounding that an entire state has demonstrated proof that only good can come from it's legalization. A Major step forward in eradicating mass ignorance.[/QUOTE] my father's generation is probably the first to grow up with total criminalization of it and both him and my mother still think its going to cause some catastrophic harm and they're all doomed, now my uncle was really messed up by drugs but i don't think pot is solely to blame for his problems it'll be interesting especially in ohio if they can get one of the two initiatives (or both) on the ballot here

Oh no the stoners have taken over the police department!

[QUOTE=Sableye;46981017]my father's generation is probably the first to grow up with total criminalization of it and both him and my mother still think its going to cause some catastrophic harm and they're all doomed, now my uncle was really messed up by drugs but i don't think pot is solely to blame for his problems it'll be interesting especially in ohio if they can get one of the two initiatives (or both) on the ballot here[/QUOTE] Nixon started the "war on drugs" but it was ronald reagan and his wife who advocated it and brought it to public attention. Those two presidents caused this whole shitstorm that we see now. Those born in the 50s were basically bombarded with anti drug propaganda from the moment they found out about them. Ironically though, the 60-90s were the most prevalent years of drug use by far the western world has seen. After billions and billions of dollars have been spent on waging war against the illusive substances, a state legalizes one of them and all of the sudden the "problems" that they thought we had because Nixon and Reagan told us so are no longer there.

What a surprise. Its almost as if legalization is a win/win. The law enforcement doesn't have to waste obscene amounts of money fighting a nebulous war they will NEVER win and can instead focus those funds on more important matters. The public gets to trade in hard earned dollars for an alternative to tobacco or alcohol. God I wish my state would get their heads out their asses and legalize this shit already.

I like how the Governor, even after making shitloads of cash and having no issues arise from it, still thinks that legalization is reckless. Worse: he's personally profiting off the industry [url]http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/oct/9/john-hickenlooper-slams-marijuana-legalization-tak/?page=all[/url]

[QUOTE=valkery;46981243]I like how the Governor, even after making shitloads of cash and having no issues arise from it, still thinks that legalization is reckless. Worse: he's personally profiting off the industry [url]http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/oct/9/john-hickenlooper-slams-marijuana-legalization-tak/?page=all[/url][/QUOTE] This is truly disgusting. Politicians are scum

[QUOTE]thousands of jobs have been created, including a cannabis critic for the local paper.[/QUOTE] What a job.

I watched a 60 Minutes PBS special on legalization 1 year after. The cops basically said there has been no change, they're still busting illegal dealers and such. Some dealers try to rent warehouses as a fake legal business but the DEA has been snuffing those out. All that matters to me is that the sky didn't fall like so many skeptics believed. If you have a heavily regulated system (every plant has an id code and tag on it from start to finish is monitored) and an educated public you can succeed in legalization. Sure local growers won't feel it for a while but according to a recent article about how the Cartel are losing weed business, seems legalization is slowly doing its job. My biggest concern is the cash only system they are stuck with. Using cash leaves tons of room for corruption so until they are allowed to use banks and traceable systems, where that cash is going can be problematic.

I can't wait for weed to be legalized everywhere because when that happens weed culture will die

[QUOTE=hydrated;46985007]I can't wait for weed to be legalized everywhere because when that happens weed culture will die[/QUOTE] Why would you say that? I'm pretty sure the full legalization everywhere would make the culture stronger than ever. I mean the culture even has its own flag. Why would that disappear when it becomes accessible to everyone.

The impact is happening at the border states and south of the border. The cartels are shifting their products from marijuana to human trafficking, gun manufacturing, opium/meth, and some other nasty shit.

[quote] "Basically, officers aren't seeing much of a change in how they do police work."[/quote] Wouldn't not having to arrest people be a change in police work? There obviously would be a decrease in the amount of drug offenders.

[QUOTE=valkery;46981243]I like how the Governor, even after making shitloads of cash and having no issues arise from it, still thinks that legalization is reckless. Worse: he's personally profiting off the industry [url]http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/oct/9/john-hickenlooper-slams-marijuana-legalization-tak/?page=all[/url][/QUOTE] Hickenlooper is a dirtbag. He refused execution to that guy who killed a bunch of his coworkers and then openly mocked their families during the trial back in the 90s. And then he took bribes from out of state to pass laws the people didn't want after Sandy Hook.

[QUOTE=darunner;46987900]Hickenlooper is a dirtbag. He refused execution to that guy who killed a bunch of his coworkers and then openly mocked their families during the trial back in the 90s. And then he took bribes from out of state to pass laws the people didn't want after Sandy Hook.[/QUOTE] I'm convinced that it's American tradition to elect the scummiest dirtbags in your state as the officials

[QUOTE=JoeSkylynx;46987400]The impact is happening at the border states and south of the border. The cartels are shifting their products from marijuana to human trafficking, gun manufacturing, opium/meth, and some other nasty shit.[/QUOTE] To be fair the cartels were already doing those things. The absence of marijuana did not create a higher demand for human trafficking or meth. The only prevalence resides in the fact that the cartels have always been known first and foremost for its massive exportation of marijuana. The shift is not so much in their business as it is in our perception of what they are doing.

[QUOTE=JoeSkylynx;46987400]The impact is happening at the border states and south of the border. The cartels are shifting their products from marijuana to human trafficking, gun manufacturing, opium/meth, and some other nasty shit.[/QUOTE] so we should keep it illegal to help out the crimelords? they're doing horrible things; if this is one way to strip them of their power, then i'm all for it.

[QUOTE=hydrated;46985007]I can't wait for weed to be legalized everywhere because when that happens weed culture will die[/QUOTE] Alcohol culture is still going pretty strong. [editline]22nd January 2015[/editline] [QUOTE=JoeSkylynx;46987400]The impact is happening at the border states and south of the border. The cartels are shifting their products from marijuana to human trafficking, gun manufacturing, opium/meth, and some other nasty shit.[/QUOTE] The demand for cannabis greatly outweighs the demand for any of those other things combined, even if they decided (in a bizarre scenario) to completely take over Mexico and force everyone to buy from them, they would still be in deep shit. The cartel will never be close to as strong as they was before legalization.

[QUOTE=andy85258;46980371]This is a pretty refreshing change from all the doom and gloom B.S law enforcement still somehow wants people to believe. I wonder how long it will be until they stop towing the prohibitionist line completely.[/QUOTE] What? Most law enforcement officers are fairly anti-prohibition, and there are several large police run lobbies to legalize it.

[QUOTE=ScottyWired;46983730]What a job.[/QUOTE] Yeah, but they had to fire the music and food critics.

[QUOTE=hydrated;46985007]I can't wait for weed to be legalized everywhere because when that happens weed culture will die[/QUOTE] I can't wait to hear the weed hipsters bitching about how they were getting high back when weed was still cool and illegal and...well, edgy, man...not like these rubes that don't even have to flush their weed when the cops come. :tinfoil:

Yeah, because the cartels and gangs just started pushing heroin, crack, coke and meth harder since they lost all those weed dollars. Did they really think that legalization would kill the fucking gangs and cartels? Because that's blind optimism at best, and absolutely moronic at worst.

[QUOTE=draugur;46998758]Yeah, because the cartels and gangs just started pushing heroin, crack, coke and meth harder since they lost all those weed dollars. Did they really think that legalization would kill the fucking gangs and cartels? Because that's blind optimism at best, and absolutely moronic at worst.[/QUOTE] those drugs are harder to push realistically.

[QUOTE=HumanAbyss;46998792]those drugs are harder to push realistically.[/QUOTE] Not exactly. With the recent "opiate craze" we are bound to see an increase in the usage of opium derivatives. A lot of doctors are also throwing out their patients who use opiates, and this is just going to fuel a greater need for these sorts of drugs.