The State of Colorado and the Experiment with Marijuana
In the state of Colorado, medical marijuana has been legal since 2001. Patients suffering from HIV/cancer, epilepsy or multiple sclerosis were able to consume medical marijuana when prescribed by their doctors. In the year of 2012, law was changed and marijuana was made recreational for personal use for adults above the age of 21 and sale of marijuana was made legal with marijuana stores being able to sell various products of marijuana to customers over the counter. They also have been paying their taxes to the state government and contributing to the state economy. Approximates indicate that sales of marijuana in Colorado have been made to the tune of $288 million dollars and $37 million dollars have been paid as taxes.
The effects on Colorado
Colorado has set up marijuana factories where marijuana is cultivated on a large scale with a process which includes automated water and nutrient systems to feed the plants which are grown under artificial lighting which mimics the change of seasons so that production goes on all year long. Also, in each of factories up to 500 pounds of pot is packed carefully for sale to customers and residents of Colorado. A large number of people have been employed in these factories providing employment where no industry existed before. You can today find food sprinkled with marijuana in Colorado apart from wines which has been infused with marijuana smoke which has been cooled to 10 degrees.
The side effects of Cannabis on Colorado
The changes in Colorado have been widespread and since sales of marijuana been legalised, the black market sales of marijuana has been reduced to a large extent. Although police officials say that the black market still exists and is raking in enough business. One of the reasons being black market marijuana still is cheaper than the marijuana being sold legally over the counter. Also, due to cross border smuggling and sales of marijuana, the neighbouring states of Nebraska and Oklahoma are suing Colorado for the very same reasons. There has been an effort to declare Colorado’s recreational marijuana business illegal and unconstitutional in nature. Colorado has also seen a few deaths with marijuana consumption as the reason stated by the doctors. People have been found to have overdosed on marijuana edibles. The state government has come out with new laws which have attempted to stop that with correct labelling on edibles.
