Pubdate: Sun, 21 Oct 2012
Source: Daily Camera (Boulder, CO)
Copyright: 2012 The Daily Camera.
Contact:  http://www.dailycamera.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/103
Author: Bob Greenlee

GOING TO POT?

If you've come to the conclusion that Colorado voters created an
unintended fraud when they approved the "medical" marijuana scam, just
wait until voters approve Amendment 64. This latest con job attempts
to legalize possession, use, and growing of pot for adults, and
ultimately wants to tax it like alcohol.

As if consuming alcohol is some kind of benign activity never subject
to abuse, law enforcement resources, highway mayhem, or assorted
medical conditions. But perhaps that's not the worst part of this
citizen-initiated hoax.

Approving Amendment 64 makes it a permanent fixture in Colorado's
Constitution. Like several other recent constitutional amendments
approved by voters it makes it nearly impossible for legislative
remedies to balance conflicting fiscal and administrative needs.
Stuffing this thing in our state Constitution conflicts with existing
federal laws and is an open invitation for expensive and protracted
litigation along with additional fiscal burdens for a state not
entirely flush with extra cash.

Even though the Amendment might eventually allow taxing the sale of
pot the ballot measure only directs Colorado's Department of Revenue
to establish rules and regulations for the production and sale of it.
A recent editorial in a Steamboat Springs newspaper points out: "This
is uncharted territory.

In general, the state's businesses are regulated by Colorado's Revised
Statutes, which can be amended as necessary by vote of the Colorado
Legislature. Trying to license and regulate the sale of marijuana in
the state's Constitution, which can be amended only by public vote, is
not only impractical, it's silly." In addition, all that new tax
revenue the supporters of Amendment 64 claim will benefit Colorado
school children will first need to be approved by voters because of
another provision stuck in the Constitution several years ago.
Remember when voters approved the now hated Tabor amendment?

With it neither the Department of Revenue nor the legislature can
simply approve a tax without first getting voter approval. Promises
being made by the potheads are a long way off.

Frankly, there are many things about trying to promote more
intelligent regulation of our nation's foundering drug laws that are
appealing. Simply making the possession and personal use of marijuana
subject to criminal prosecution has proven to be both intolerable if
not entirely harmful.

Long considered a "gateway" drug, marijuana is probably no more
harmful than alcohol when used by adults in private and in moderation.
Arguments that condemning the use of pot and alcohol only invites
youthful experimentation are probably correct but the cost of
regulating consumption of both may be excessive as well as
unproductive. Unfortunately many of those intending to vote in favor
of Amendment 64 will be responding to simplistic and unrealistic
remedies that demand a more thoughtful analysis before being approved.

One of the most interesting aspects of the current debate is the
schism that has opened up between existing purveyors of pot and those
seeking to expand its production, distribution, and sale. A large
number of licensed "care givers" under Colorado's current "medical"
marijuana laws are dead set against supporting Amendment 64. Not only
is their feed bag being threatened but there's fear that if voters
approve Amendment 64 it will open the doors to large scale and
well-funded "corporate" interests engaging in huge "grow" operations
and more sophisticated retail establishments being built along well
traveled corridors and ever-present strip malls.

Equating the marketing of marijuana products and branding them like
beer and wine opens up all kinds of potentially troubling regulatory
questions, conflicts, and unidentified public costs.

If anyone believes the feds are just going to sit back and allow the
"legalization" of marijuana in Colorado without intervention they are
simply not dealing with reality.

Ballots will be in our mailboxes shortly. Before blindly filling in
the "yes" box to approve Amendment 64, please give it a bit more
thoughtful consideration.
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MAP posted-by: Matt