This afternoon in historic fashion, Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper signed a number of smoking pieces of legislation in the first steps towards creating a legalized marijuana market. Several of the joint bills proposed by the state House of Representatives and Senate lay the tightly-packed groundwork for how recreational marijuana should be grown, packaged, taxed, and sold.
Governor Hickenlooper has made no secret of his displeasure with the milestone measures, according to the Huffington Post, piping up, “Colorado is known for many great things, marijuana should not be one of them.” Despite being a blunt opponent to the idea of recreational pot being legal, Hickenlooper is “toking” one for the team.
The current acts signed by the governor establish restrictions such as an age limit to purchase marijuana, the amount one can purchase at a time, as well as various fees and licenses needed for establishments to solicit ganja. As of now, Colorado adults will have to be 21-years old in order to buy up to an ounce of weed. “Coloradans can also grow up to six plants — with only three flowering at a given time — in their home for personal use.”
As for brick-and-mortar retailers, they must properly label all marijuana products including warning labels, serving size, and information on THC potency. Only established residents of the state of Colorado will be able own or invest in the stores, though when the first stores open come 2014, for the first 9 months only existing medical marijuana dispensaries will be able apply for the recreational sales license. However, according to The Denver Post it is considered at this juncture that around October 2014, that restriction would be lifted so independent growers and retailers could open up their own weed shops.
Things start to get a little sticky icky when the subject of taxes come up, though. A proposed 15% excise tax and 10% sales tax would give the state government its taste, but the Taxpayers’ Bill of Rights which requires that Coloradans vote on any tax increase may not be something residents wish to stick in their pipes and smoke, despite the fact that “Amendment 64 states that the first $40 million raised from the 15 percent excise tax would go to to school construction.”
But proponents of Amendment 64 are high on the idea 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.” So, to roll it up for you, the proposed taxes would more than cover the expenses to support the recreational marijuana industry.
Currently in Massachusetts, medical marijuana is legalized under heavy restrictions and possession is decriminalized up to an ounce. It will be interesting to see if Massachusetts (and other states considering legalizing marijuana for that matter) ends up following suit. What do you all think of a legalized recreational marijuana industry being implemented in Mass.? Is it practical? Terrible? Are you too stoned to even comprehend?
