World's 1st legal/regulated/taxed adult marijuana market

[alphacat]

Marijuana Legalization: Colo. Gov. Hickenlooper Signs First Bills
In History To Establish A Legal, Regulated Pot Market For Adults

On Tuesday, Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper signed several historic measures to implement marijuana legalization in the state, establishing Colorado as the world's first legal, regulated and taxed marijuana market for adults.

Hickenlooper, a vocal opponent of marijuana legalization who said that "Colorado is known for many great things, marijuana should not be one of them," signed the first bills in history to establish a legal marijuana market as well as starting the development of a regulatory framework for the cultivation, distribution, and processing of industrial hemp.

"Recreational marijuana really is new territory," Hickenlooper said at Tuesday's signing. And although the governor has expressed opposition to marijuana legalization in the past, he called today's pot bills "common sense," the AP's Kristen Wyatt reported.

Jack Finlaw, Hickenlooper's chief legal counsel, said although they were opposed to marijuana legalization, "the will of the voters needed to be implemented."

"We applaud Gov. Hickenlooper for the initiative he has taken to ensure the world's first legal marijuana market for adults will entail a robust and comprehensive regulatory system" said Mason Tvert, director of communications for the Marijuana Policy Project, who served as an official proponent of Amendment 64 and co-director of the campaign in Colorado. "This marks another major milestone in the process of making the much-needed transition from a failed policy of marijuana prohibition to a more sensible system of regulation."

Tvertd added: "Colorado is demonstrating to the rest of the nation that it is possible to adopt a marijuana policy that reflects the public's increasing support for making marijuana legal for adults. Marijuana prohibition is on its way out in Colorado, and it is only a matter of time before many more states follow its lead."

House Bill 1317 and Senate Bill 283, set up the regulatory framework for Colorado dictating how recreational marijuana should be grown, packaged and sold.

Colorado adults, 21 and over, will be limited to purchasing up to an ounce of marijuana for recreational use from specialty licensed retail shops that can also sell pot-related items such as pipes and accessories. Coloradans can also grow up to six plants -- with only three flowering at a given time -- in their home for personal use. Adults can possess up to an ounce of marijuana legally.

HB-1317 and SB-283 requires that retailers properly label all marijuana products including warning labels, serving size and information on THC potency. Only Colorado residents can own or invest in the stores, KDVR reports, and when the first stores open around Jan. 1, 2014, for the first nine months, only existing medical marijuana dispensaries will be able apply for the recreational sales license.

According to The Denver Post, the first recreational marijuana stores to open would only be able to sell the marijuana that they have grown themselves, but come October 2014, that restriction would be lifted so stand-alone growers and retailers could open up for business.

HB-1317 also bans cities from opening pot shops and bans marijuana collectives that could skirt the new marijuana regulatory laws by growing and providing pot to members tax-free and below cost.

The bill also requires stores to [url=https:/twitter.com/APkristenwyatt/status/332229050095521792]treat marijuana magazines like pornography[/url] by placing them behind the counter.

House Bill 1318, outlines the taxes related to the legal marijuana market, proposing a 15 percent excise tax and 10 percent sales tax. However, due to Colorado's Taxpayers' Bill of Rights which requires that Coloradans vote on any tax increase, state voters will still need to weigh in on the tax question in the 2014 election.

Amendment 64 states that the first $40 million raised from the 15 percent excise tax would go to to school construction. And although many voters who supported A64 did so because it could raise money for schools, lawmakers are concerned that even fans of that excise tax rate and the use of its revenue could be turned off by a total tax rate of 25 percent, not including additional state and local taxes that could lead to marijuana taxes exceeding 30 percent in some areas.

The Associated Press's Kristen Wyatt reported that some state lawmakers, fear that voters will reject one or both of the tax proposals leaving the state stuck with the tab for enforcing pot sales but without the budget to pay for it.

And although Coloradans are known to reject increased taxes when it comes to even popular state services -- take K-12 education improvement, for example -- when it comes to legal marijuana, state voters appear to be ready to buck that trend.

According to a recent survey from Public Policy Polling, 77 percent of Colorado voters support the 15 percent excise tax -- which Amendment 64 calls for and which is earmarked for public school construction -- as well as an additional 10 percent sales tax to cover the cost of regulating recreational marijuana sales. Only 18 percent of those surveyed were opposed to increased taxes on legal pot sales. The survey of 900 registered Colorado voters was conducted by Public Policy Polling from April 15-16.

In a statement, Amendment 64 backers said that state officials have told them that the cost to the state to enforce recreational marijuana regulations would not be greater than $30 million and said that the proposed 25 percent in taxes would still likely yield more than $60 million.

Hickenlooper has expressed support for the tax measure. "I'll certainly promote the marijuana question," Hickenlooper said to The Denver Post. "We need to make sure we have the resources to have a good regulatory framework to manage this."

Senate Bill 24 proposes the development of a regulatory framework for the commercial cultivation, processing, and distribution of industrial hemp.

Recently in Springfield, Colo. hemp farmer Ryan Loflin planted the nation's first major industrial hemp crop in almost 60 years.

House Bill 1325, a controversial measure which sets a THC-blood limit for Colorado motorists at 5 nanograms.

Under HB 1325, drivers caught with 5 nanograms of THC, the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana which produces the "high" sensation, in their blood would be considered too stoned to drive and could be ticketed similarly to a person who was considered too drunk to drive.

As in previous years when marijuana DUI bills have come up for debate, opponents say that the 5 nanogram standard is too low for frequent pot smokers, especially medical marijuana patients, who regularly have this level of THC in the bloodstream and therefore, if passed, these people would lose their driving privileges, The Denver Post reports.

But HB-1325 allows for a person who has been charged with having 5 nanograms of THC in their blood to rebut the charge that they are too impaired to drive.

"For example, if you did not exhibit poor driving, you can put that on as evidence to say, 'Look my driving was not poor, I'm not unsafe to operate a motor vehicle,'" Rep. Mark Waller (R-Colorado Springs) said during earlier hearings of an identical bill which was killed.

Should be interesting to see how this plays out: for instance, the reason it's not legal in places like Jamaica is because the US State Dept. has leaned on them and supported anti-legalization conservatives. But how can we possibly continue to bully others into prohibition when the American people themselves have said "enough is enough - free the weed..." ?

[wormcode]

I think the fed will sue Colorado/Washington and/or threaten to stop some federal funding. That same guy has been asking the White house to step in somehow, and for advice on the matter.

But here is a good recent article anyway: Cannabis: Colorado's Budding Industry @ The Guardian

I'm being driven around Denver by America's first professional stoner. William Breathes is the marijuana critic for the award-winning local paper Westword. Every week for the past three years, his boss has been paying for his weed.

[Genevieve]

It's spreading!

The feds will put an end to this, but that doesn't matter. If enough states legalize it, it'll be too popular to still have federal prohibition.

Next up, XTC. Think it'll be legal before the halucinogenics are.

[DRTY]

I'd like to keep it illegal so I keep seeing really funny jpegs on Facebook from legalizemongs.

Having said that, I do think most places should just do it how Portugal do it.

[Mason]

i dunno what my stoner friends will talk about when it is legal and accepted

[alphacat]

i dunno what my stoner friends will talk about when it is legal and accepted

Good chance they'll become weed snobs and start talking about it like its wine. "Oh, this varietal is delightful, with an unexpected interplay of notes of black currants and leather and a tiny hint of midget's ass." Or some shit like that.

[AxeD]

Strongly against this. Maybe easy for me to talk but yeah.

[wormcode]

Strongly against this. Maybe easy for me to talk but yeah.

Why's that?

The Wire creator is against it as well. I'm confused by his reasoning though. He doesn't know there's bound to be a couple of black people in Colorado or Washington? http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/ma ... -drug-laws

He seems to take more of an 'all or nothing' kinda stance, but that's dreams.
Definitely agree with what he says about juries refusing to prosecute for possession though, that's key.

[AxeD]

Strongly against this. Maybe easy for me to talk but yeah.

Why's that?

The Wire creator is against it as well. I'm confused by his reasoning though. He doesn't know there's bound to be a couple of black people in Colorado or Washington? http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/ma ... -drug-laws

He seems to take more of an 'all or nothing' kinda stance, but that's dreams.
Definitely agree with what he says about juries refusing to prosecute for possession though, that's key.

Hey it's wormcode

I'm not sure how this will pan out, it seems to work quite well around here but it does add possible dangers.
Obviously a lot more people are going to use it, which inevitably leads to more people abusing it.

[alphacat]

^ We're already seeing it in the form of dabs. People are getting so high they're actually blacking out and hitting their head and stuff.

However, the fundamental hypocrisy of allowing the far more toxic alcohol and cigarettes to be tolerated but not cannabis - that's the reality of the matter IMO. If someone's gonna be all or nothing than they have to acknowledge those legal, more dangerous vices. That and the fact that the old laws were predicated on racist propaganda and spun science.

[SCope13]

Next up, XTC. Think it'll be legal before the halucinogenics are.

I think that's a ways away tbh

[wormcode]

Hey it's wormcode

I'm not sure how this will pan out, it seems to work quite well around here but it does add possible dangers.
Obviously a lot more people are going to use it, which inevitably leads to more people abusing it.

Yeah I know what you mean. I'm a bit torn as well. But it's already everywhere, there's several shops on every corner in some cities. I think it will die down though, it's just the initial 'green rush'. It's time to try it out though for sure. The 'more people using it' thing is like how kids turn of age and get blackout drunk
all weekend. But it's usually easier for kids to buy weed than alcohol anyway.

The dabs thing is ridiculous. I see people referencing it everywhere all of a sudden though it's nothing new. It's like people abusing Everclear (which isn't legal everywhere) I think. In time the fad will end I think. At least it's not as dangerous healthwise.

Tbh even if I lived where it was legal I'd still buy it from friends as I know they need the extra money more than the state. At least I wouldn't have to vacuum pack it and hide it in a fake shave cream jar.

MDMA being legal, no I don't think so. MDMA being removed of its 'fun' factor, and used medically is already happening. There have been great successes in treating depression and PTSD. I'm sure companies are itching to patent different forms of it and charge as much as possible.

[Soul_Of_Seun]

My home-state is awesome.

[AxeD]

Hey it's wormcode

I'm not sure how this will pan out, it seems to work quite well around here but it does add possible dangers.
Obviously a lot more people are going to use it, which inevitably leads to more people abusing it.

Yeah I know what you mean. I'm a bit torn as well. But it's already everywhere, there's several shops on every corner in some cities. I think it will die down though, it's just the initial 'green rush'. It's time to try it out though for sure. The 'more people using it' thing is like how kids turn of age and get blackout drunk
all weekend. But it's usually easier for kids to buy weed than alcohol anyway.

The dabs thing is ridiculous. I see people referencing it everywhere all of a sudden though it's nothing new. It's like people abusing Everclear (which isn't legal everywhere) I think. In time the fad will end I think. At least it's not as dangerous healthwise.

Tbh even if I lived where it was legal I'd still buy it from friends as I know they need the extra money more than the state. At least I wouldn't have to vacuum pack it and hide it in a fake shave cream jar.

MDMA being legal, no I don't think so. MDMA being removed of its 'fun' factor, and used medically is already happening. There have been great successes in treating depression and PTSD. I'm sure companies are itching to patent different forms of it and charge as much as possible.

Yeah I agree. That initial hype might get to some people. We'll see how it is in a few years.

[collige]

Strongly against this. Maybe easy for me to talk but yeah.

Why's that?

The Wire creator is against it as well. I'm confused by his reasoning though. He doesn't know there's bound to be a couple of black people in Colorado or Washington? http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/ma ... -drug-laws

He seems to take more of an 'all or nothing' kinda stance, but that's dreams.
Definitely agree with what he says about juries refusing to prosecute for possession though, that's key.

His reasoning is that simply legalizing/decriminalizing marijuana in a few (or even all) states does nothing to help the communities who have been hit the hardest by the war on drugs and may even slow down that process because people will then perceive the issue as being solved.

[SCope13]

Strongly against this. Maybe easy for me to talk but yeah.

Why's that?

The Wire creator is against it as well. I'm confused by his reasoning though. He doesn't know there's bound to be a couple of black people in Colorado or Washington? http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/ma ... -drug-laws

He seems to take more of an 'all or nothing' kinda stance, but that's dreams.
Definitely agree with what he says about juries refusing to prosecute for possession though, that's key.

His reasoning is that simply legalizing/decriminalizing marijuana in a few (or even all) states does nothing to help the communities who have been hit the hardest by the war on drugs and may even slow down that process because people will then perceive the issue as being solved.

That's actually a good point.

[deadly_habit]

The fed will definitely step in, there's been such a large crackdown on dispensaries under this administration.

[wormcode]

His reasoning is that simply legalizing/decriminalizing marijuana in a few (or even all) states does nothing to help the communities who have been hit the hardest by the war on drugs and may even slow down that process because people will then perceive the issue as being solved.

That's actually a good point.

Yeah it's a good point but it's speculative. It certainly won't do anything but make things worse by keeping it illegal. I don't think everyone will give up on the issue after. I think it will be the first brick being removed of the great wall of 'war of drugs'. I mean they obviously won't make everything legal overnight, it can only be a gradual process and it makes sense to start with cannabis. Both in smokable and hemp form. Then a radical rescheduling of other substances. The list is very contradictory as it is and causes harm in itself by confusing people.

[nousd]

huh it's funny
after all these years & it's starting to happen
I confess to being a little nervous about the change
Will there be a lot more irresponsible use?
Will the heavy crims move in?
Will homegrowing gradually be eased out?
Away we go into the wild blue yonder....

[alphacat]

^ This too has already begun.

I've been going to the local indoor grow shows for a while now, and the audience and focus has DEFINITELY shifted away from DIYers, hippies, organic types and towards large scale commercial cultivation run by gangs. It used to be that you'd overhear "yeah man, I was at that Dead show in '79!" Now it's stuff like "n*gga, I be slangin' el-bees and shit n*gga!" ...Massive quantities of chemferts being used. No concern for quality; these guys think reading is for squares, so how the heck are they supposed to know what an apical meristem is or when to use FIM versus tie-down training or anything like that?

But hopefully, hopefully at least the criminal aspect of it eases with decrim/legalization sheerly by deincentivizing it with lower profit margins.

Hopefully.