Colorado's Recreational Marijuana

It should be an interesting experiment. Apparently voted into law by 65% of those that voted. Residents can purchase 1 oz, visitors 1/4 oz. The catch is the state collecting 75% sales tax! I can imagine a certain segment of tourism will skyrocket. Probably more concert tours will hit Colorado. I'd guess border towns might do pretty well too.

The Dutch will feel at home there!

Hopefully there won't be any more CO crazies causing mayhem.

Wow! Washington state also passed a recreational pot use law in 2013. They have a heavy sales tax and has some middlemen.

Grower pays 25% tax when sold to processor.
Processor pays 25% sales tax when sold to retailer.
Retailer pays 25% sales tax when sold to consumer.
Consumer pays normal sales tax on purchase.

High taxation states must be salivating.

I bet it'll be so expensive a black market will flourish in both CO and WA.

I never understood why they didn't do it sooner. I would feel safer at a public event with stoned people over drunks any day. Having said that, it's illegal here so I won't smoke it.
One of our guys at work - a CDL driver failed the test twice in a month for smoking weed. A 30 year employee, now it's possible he will lose his pension. Rumor is the company will let him resign. He will still have to be reported because of his license.

I personally don't like smoking it myself, but have many friends and at least one family member who use it regularly. It's too commonplace these days to keep on with the illegal BS, just my opinion of course. Let the States sell it, reap the tax-cash-cow rewards and allow the law enforcement agencies to move on to bigger and better things. It's definitely time.

At least Canada has prostitution dialed in.   

They can legalize it but employers can still fire you for using it.
In most states anyways.

Diesel Dan wrote:

They can legalize it but employers can still fire you for using it.
In most states anyways.

If you use it at work or show up stoned, yes. But if your employer finds out that you use it after work, weekends, whatever... I don't think they would have any legal grounds to fire you. Should be no different than showing up at work with a few drinks in you, but they can't fire you for drinking on your own time.

Diesel Dan wrote:

They can legalize it but employers can still fire you for using it.
In most states anyways.

I think that's true for now and especially true for federal employment since federal law still says it's illegal to use, possess or sell. On the other hand, a majority of voters (consumers) could apply pressure to local companies.

http://www.denverpost.com/marijuana/ci_24799683/employers-can-still-fire-pot-smokers-legal-use

It might be fun to go check out the recreational scene, but I wouldn't want to lose my job in the process. I get the issue with transportation jobs etc but there's many jobs that don't have lives in their hands. The courts will have to figure that one out.

ggbaird wrote:

If you use it at work or show up stoned, yes. But if your employer finds out that you use it after work, weekends, whatever... I don't think they would have any legal grounds to fire you. Should be no different than showing up at work with a few drinks in you, but they can't fire you for drinking on your own time.

In most states an employer can fire you for doing legal activities. As long as it is enforced across the board. For example in Michigan a health care provider has terminated all employees that test positive for nicotine. The company warned the employees of the impending rule and even offered smokers assistance in quitting. Most did but some held out thinking they wouldn't be fired, but they were.

Diseasel wrote:

It should be an interesting experiment.

Governor Cheech and Senator Chong may not be too far off in the future ....

Let the games begin...

Employers have been known to use social media of which to use as a basis for evaluating people they want employed or not.  Amazing many scream privacy, but then toss up photos and content you wouldn't want your boss, or bosses boss to see.  Yet many do it wittingly.

"Personally" I haven't ever touched any of that stuff and have no plans too. What others do or don't do should be their right and is none of my business as long as they're not harming someone else.

I have pissed in campfires. Pot does smell like pissing in a campfire.

And, as I age, I'm repulsed by people out of control of their facilities.

Fooled Ya! I took this is on the Monterrey Bay Boardwalk.

shatto wrote:

And, as I age, I'm repulsed by people out of control of their facilities.

The irony is we are all more likely to become out of control the older we get via dementia/Alzheimer's.

Just like alcohol, consumers will need to follow acceptable limits. It's interesting to read about pot tours having to take people back to their cars from being too stoned or paranoid. It'll take time to know what anyone's limit is since the government has so closely restricted pot.

Another irony, we need a book called Smoking Pot for Dummies.

A good friend of  mine lives in Colorado. He had an funny perspective on these strange days. A white man is the best rapper, a black man is in the White House, and we can go to the corner store and buy a bag of pot.

You'd think politicians would want a bunch of zombie constituents in order to maintain their failed policies.

Quote :

Another irony, we need a book called Smoking Pot for Dummies.

I'm glad I wasn't taking a sip of my coffee when I read that.  It would have ended up on my monitor and keyboard.  

Co. will now have less people in jail who should not have been put away to begin with, there will be more man power for real crime, Mexico cartels will not see this as a big profit and move on to other crimes to import to the U.S. Taxes on pot will support other hard drug activities. It's a no lose situation.

Is the THC content like it was in the '60s or is it the more potent strains?
If it is more potent even "old school" smokers might be in for a surprise.  

Diesel Dan wrote:

Is the THC content like it was in the '60s or is it the more potent strains?
If it is more potent even "old school" smokers might be in for a surprise.  

My wife keeps warning me it will be much stronger than in the 60's. Unless they make it legal here, I'll never know.

I don't care if they legalize it or not. I've tried it enough here and there to know that I don't like it. It makes me tired and hungry. What's the point?
I'll take a beer please! 

Tried it a few times years ago and don't recall any effects.
Hence no desire to try again.

I remember trying it with high school friends and it was almost a random hit or miss. It could be fun or uncomfortable. Passive things like movies were ok but you probably wouldn't get the plot or even remember the details. It can be good for stimulating the senses: light shows, concerts, the beach, backpacking, eating, etc. On the other hand, I don't like the idea of smoking and risks of lung disease.

Got stoned once in HS, driving back to town, 4 of us in the seat of a 69 C-10 running down the road at about 5mph feeling like it was 105mph...and couldn't stop laughing.

I do enough stupid shit sober......

I remember the first time we tried it. We convinced the parents we'd be ok borrowing the motor home and trailering the bikes and dune buggy to the desert. It was about 120 miles. There was about 4 or 5 of us high school aged, almost all the bikes and buggy broke down but we still had fun. Lots of laughing, music, munchies. I remember wind blowing the camper side window and hallucinating a small car wash wheel spinning across my face. Strange time!