3 Months Since Legalizing Marijuana, Here's What Colorado Looks Like

I saw this article today. Seems appropriate to share here.


Source

In one of the most drastic examples of the potential benefits of legalized cannabisColorados-Recreational-Marijuana-Task-Force, Denver, Colorado has seen a sizable reduction in violent crimes – particularly homicides – since the beginning of legal recreational cannabis sales.
Compared to the January to April period from 2013, 2014 has seen an overall reduction in both violent and property crimes since legal cannabis sales began this January. The most notable reduction was a 52.9% reduction in homicides, and a 36.3% reduction in automobile thefts. All other forms of violent crime saw a reduction in their incidences over the same period.
In addition to these reductions, Denver has seen a 13.6% reduction in sexual assaults, a 4.6% drop in burglaries and a 3.1% reduction in aggravated assaults. Auto thefts were down over 6%, and property crimes were down 11.4%.
As many know, correlation doesn’t always imply causation, but these numbers are still a telling sign, and give clear evidence that, at the very least, legal cannabis sales are not causing an increase in crime, as many opponents argued it would.

Additionally I am reading up on all the literature here in regards to Colorado's laws here: www.colorado.gov...

Some of it is extremely redundant and drags on but in a case like this its probably due to the precedent that's trying to be set in regards to how to handle the laws.

originally posted by: MysterX
a reply to: EasyPleaseMe

And the real irony?
Professor Nutt and his team were commissioned by the then UK Labour Brown's government to look into the effects of Cannabis on mental health specifically.

The study took over a year and cost the taxpayer a fair bundle...but when Nutt and Co told Alan Johnson, the then home secretary the 'bad news', nutt was fired.

The bad news was that the study could find no link between Cannabis use and mental issues...other than Cannabis actually helped relieve some of them.

This wasn't what the Government wanted to hear,they ignored the advice to not reclassify it to a higher class B drug and he was prmptly fired when he spoke out about what he saw as a coverup of evidence he and his team determined to be true.

Brown later remarked that cannabis was 'lethal'...

Ignorance is bliss until people are thrown in jail because of it.

Yes Nutt obviously didn't get the memo describing the results he should have provided. It appears many other experts, including those at the WHO did get the memo however.

I've read many of the published studies in respected journals over the years, including large scale long term studies of Jamaican MJ users. Only recently have scare stories surfaced however.

originally posted by: Swills

But they say weed is the gateway drug.. Talk about propaganda!

Alcohol is the "gateway" for accepting recreational drug use as an acceptable, desireable, and even and 'expected' way of life. The way alcohol is promoted in western society it is more than a mere gateway but a neon-lit flashing entryway with more lights than a Las Vegas casino and free balloons for the kiddies.

Pot is a quite low-key and fairly benign alternative by comparison, and with much milder effects. The biggest crime associated with cannabis, and its worst side effect, is that it was made into a crime - it was given legal sanction to ruin lives through abuse of the system. That sort of abuse literally destroyed justice.

It is good to see that people are finally coming to their senses about cannabis/hemp, but with over seven decades of reefer madness insanity that made it a long time in coming.

originally posted by: mahatche


Exactly. The anti-drug approach we took when I was young did nothing but make me curious. It's counter productive to create forbidden fruits. Parents need to grow up and be real with their kids. Why are we so afraid to teach our kids?

People talk about protecting the kids, but keeping it illegal does the opposite.

Drinking was more fun when I did it under age.

I remember anti-drug propaganda when I was a kid, cops would come into the schools and tell us how bad this, this and this was, then I saw hippies at woodstock on TV freakin' out on 'cid' and doobie do-in' ( scooby 'doobie do'? ) These cops probably stoked a lot of curiousities and wonder.
Anyway, this I believe led me to a lifelong fascination and curiousity, and when I found out all the stuff they said about pot was pure BS, I then began to wonder what else is pure bull.

Anyway, I deleted some stuff because I can't say that.

Canada took a step back in progress due to the idealistic mindset of our PM (Punisher Man) Stephen Harper, we were well on our way to legalization before he won his majority with a 41% of a minority vote.

a reply to: Erongaricuaro
Absoulutely right, alcohol and its inhibitional relaxating qualities probably got more people to try things they would normally not do.

Cannabis doesn't do that.

When I think back to my under age drinking years sometimes I wonder how I did not get hurt, beat up, or killed, because of the stupid things I did, and I was never a drunken idiot either, just a kid who would have been safer with Low Stupidity Doings and trimming and burning grass.

My conclusion is, even though I do like my beer, alcohol is one of the worst drugs a person could ingest.
By Faaaaaaaaar!

a reply to: tothetenthpower


Your post gives me a great idea. I want to move to Colorado, and go into the chocolate chip cookie business. I could be the Steve Jobs of cookies within 5 years.

a reply to: OccamsRazor04

and that would be illegal under the new aca/obamacare rules. drug users just have to claim pre-existing condition (alcoholism/drug addiction is well a medical issue)cant deny any one insurance any more .as far as the welfare thing that may fly but i have yet to hear of any "drug test for welfare" laws in co or Washington or any one getting popped buying eddibles/narcotics with welfare money in those states least not that has made the news

a reply to: OccamsRazor04

So long as you toss lipitor, viagra and every other prescription drug in there, I'm fine with it.

originally posted by: openminded2011
a reply to: tothetenthpower


Your post gives me a great idea. I want to move to Colorado, and go into the chocolate chip cookie business. I could be the Steve Jobs of cookies within 5 years.

Not sure about how accurate that Cheech & Chong video is but on Sensible BC facebook page, you can find articles that talk about the history of cannabis. It is in a 12 part installment but it is a good read.

Cannabis has been a medicine for the last 3,000yrs and only illegal the last 100yrs. The only reason it is illegal is not because of the THC aspect but because of HEMP. Hemp is a million times better than cotton & trees but the cotton industry & forest industry wasn't about to give up all that cash. Then the lies started in & cannabis was made illegal.

My Mom educated my sisters & I about drugs. I am the only one who didn't use drugs in high school but now I use cannabis medically for my undiagnosed illness(es). It makes such a world of a difference, as I stated in one of my earlier posts) When I was healthy enough to keep working, my co-workers were shocked when they discovered I was high at work. I was functioning just like I do when I'm not high. I was operating the cash register & had energy to burn. I told them that the brain can learn to function when you are high & do most tasks to the same degree as when you are not high.

My main argument is this:
How can cannabis be illegal when you can NOT over dose from it & it does no harm to your body yet Alcohol & cigarettes, which is very harmful, is legal. How is that logical? It isn't plain and simple.

originally posted by: tothetenthpower
a reply to: 3u40r15m

You've missed the point entirely if you think that's all this is, just pot heads wanting to smoke with kids.

Please do some research about the topic. We aren't discussing anything you've stated.

~Tenth

I don't need to research anything I know plenty on this subject.... And the point of the OP is just as frivolous as what I say. But like I said, if you think weed is so great, encourage your kids to smoke it.

originally posted by: Erongaricuaro

originally posted by: Swills

But they say weed is the gateway drug.. Talk about propaganda!

Alcohol is the "gateway" for accepting recreational drug use as an acceptable, desireable, and even and 'expected' way of life. The way alcohol is promoted in western society it is more than a mere gateway but a neon-lit flashing entryway with more lights than a Las Vegas casino and free balloons for the kiddies.

Pot is a quite low-key and fairly benign alternative by comparison, and with much milder effects. The biggest crime associated with cannabis, and its worst side effect, is that it was made into a crime - it was given legal sanction to ruin lives through abuse of the system. That sort of abuse literally destroyed justice.

It is good to see that people are finally coming to their senses about cannabis/hemp, but with over seven decades of reefer madness insanity that made it a long time in coming.

Weed is a gateway drug. Most weed smokers also smoke hash, hash oils, and whatever else can get them high as a Giraffe,,, I have nothing against potheads. But I have alot against you new age activist that act like you just discovered this cool new drug. Almost as bad as the gay marriage thing.

originally posted by: 3u40r15m

originally posted by: Erongaricuaro

originally posted by: Swills

But they say weed is the gateway drug.. Talk about propaganda!

Alcohol is the "gateway" for accepting recreational drug use as an acceptable, desireable, and even and 'expected' way of life. The way alcohol is promoted in western society it is more than a mere gateway but a neon-lit flashing entryway with more lights than a Las Vegas casino and free balloons for the kiddies.

Pot is a quite low-key and fairly benign alternative by comparison, and with much milder effects. The biggest crime associated with cannabis, and its worst side effect, is that it was made into a crime - it was given legal sanction to ruin lives through abuse of the system. That sort of abuse literally destroyed justice.

It is good to see that people are finally coming to their senses about cannabis/hemp, but with over seven decades of reefer madness insanity that made it a long time in coming.

Weed is a gateway drug. Most weed smokers also smoke hash, hash oils, and whatever else can get them high as a Giraffe,,, I have nothing against potheads. But I have alot against you new age activist that act like you just discovered this cool new drug. Almost as bad as the gay marriage thing.

You do know that hash, hash oil and weed are the same thing, right?

originally posted by: thesaneone

originally posted by: 3u40r15m

originally posted by: Erongaricuaro

originally posted by: Swills

But they say weed is the gateway drug.. Talk about propaganda!

Alcohol is the "gateway" for accepting recreational drug use as an acceptable, desireable, and even and 'expected' way of life. The way alcohol is promoted in western society it is more than a mere gateway but a neon-lit flashing entryway with more lights than a Las Vegas casino and free balloons for the kiddies.

Pot is a quite low-key and fairly benign alternative by comparison, and with much milder effects. The biggest crime associated with cannabis, and its worst side effect, is that it was made into a crime - it was given legal sanction to ruin lives through abuse of the system. That sort of abuse literally destroyed justice.

It is good to see that people are finally coming to their senses about cannabis/hemp, but with over seven decades of reefer madness insanity that made it a long time in coming.

Weed is a gateway drug. Most weed smokers also smoke hash, hash oils, and whatever else can get them high as a Giraffe,,, I have nothing against potheads. But I have alot against you new age activist that act like you just discovered this cool new drug. Almost as bad as the gay marriage thing.

You do know that hash, hash oil and weed are the same thing, right?

I know what it is I've made plenty of it. Doesn't mean the effects are the same

originally posted by: 3u40r15m

originally posted by: tothetenthpower
a reply to: 3u40r15m

You've missed the point entirely if you think that's all this is, just pot heads wanting to smoke with kids.

Please do some research about the topic. We aren't discussing anything you've stated.

~Tenth

I don't need to research anything I know plenty on this subject.... And the point of the OP is just as frivolous as what I say. But like I said, if you think weed is so great, encourage your kids to smoke it.

My dad died at 42 because of alcoholism and I struggle to this day with it.

I do have a child. And while I would NEVER encourage him to do ANY mind altering substance I can only pray he smokes one and hits a Taco Bell up instead of drinking a few and hitting a tree...or worse.

I don't want him to be forced to pick the legal means by which his grandfather died and father fought so hard to overcome.

A real good message we're sending here.

originally posted by: semperfortis
Problems?

Yeah they got em

On Tuesday, Dr. Michael Distefano testified that Colorado Children’s Hospital has treated seven juveniles for acute illnesses stemming from ingesting edible forms of marijuana since the law went into effect.

And, on Monday night, before Distefano appeared before the House Committee on Health, Insurance, and Environment on two bills to rein in recreational marijuana, a mother of three from Denver on the phone with a 911 operator about the hallucinations being experienced by her husband was killed when he shot her in the head.

State Rep. Frank McNulty (R-Highlands Ranch) says that achieving equivalences between marijuana from plants with the concentrates used in edibles will probably cost the state at least $100,000 to implement, but that every passing day is giving lawmakers reasons why some tightening is necessary.

The reports of edible marijuana making children sick and possibly playing a role in Kristine Kirk’s murder coincides with a new study showing that casual marijuana use can cause changes in the brain. Published in the Journal of Neuroscience, a 10-page report on the study says that brain alterations occur in young adults using marijuana before any dependence develops.

The report’s author, Dr. Hans Breiter of Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine and Massachusetts General Hospital, said that longer-term studies are needed to see if brain changes cause any symptoms over time.

Food Safety News

My take on that situation was firstly, "I'm glad they were able to go to the hospital / seek help without fearing the consequences had the item ingested still been illegal".

The fact that they became sick isn't probably new. I'll bet there's been many previous cases of this that go unreported, because of their fear of consequences.

I'd be inclined to say that there would be kids out there who didn't seek help in these situations before, when the plant was still illegal. Being that it's now legal there, it seems to me as though people will be more likely to obtain help if needed.

That to me, is a positive.

a reply to: TiedDestructor

To each their own.... Just seems like National peer pressure. Whatever happen to Weed being bad? Parents teaching kids not to smoke it and the whole DARE program....Now we teach kids weed is good alcohol is bad? Does not sound right to me. I'd much rather see my kids have a drink for their 21st instead of doing drugs.

a reply to: 3u40r15m

No sane parent teaches their kids that smoking is safe. The act of inhaling smoke no matter the substance is harmful. The DARE program was full of propaganda slogans and half facts. May parents felt like DARE turned their children into little NARCS.

Any parent who thinks their child is so well behaved that he or she will wait until they are 21 before they go drinking with friends needs to pull the wool from over their eyes.

With all of this new found Tax Revenue I hope that Colorado State, focus some real money on substance use and abuse education. It's been such a taboo subject that young people are naturally going to be drawn to it, as always.
I'd like to some of the other statistics associated with the pot legalization from all angles especially, State, County and City, police and judicial statistics. My guess is, all are saving money, increasing productivity and hopefully going after the worst of the worst by focusing in on real criminals.

originally posted by: 3u40r15m
a reply to: TiedDestructor

To each their own.... Just seems like National peer pressure. Whatever happen to Weed being bad? Parents teaching kids not to smoke it and the whole DARE program....Now we teach kids weed is good alcohol is bad? Does not sound right to me. I'd much rather see my kids have a drink for their 21st instead of doing drugs.

What happened is we realized/remembered weed was never all that bad. I don't think alcohol is bad either, I just think it's a harder more dangerous drug than weed.