Pubdate: Wed, 01 Jan 2014
Source: Vail Daily (CO)
Copyright: 2014 Vail Daily
Contact: http://drugsense.org/url/wo3Ts7AI
Website: http://www.vaildaily.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3233
Author: Bill Sepmeier

IT'S LEGAL HERE

I enjoyed the amusing letter from Christine Arakelian of New York 
regarding Colorado's marijuana laws in Friday's paper. In it she 
proudly declared her top 1 percent membership and told us all 
authoritatively that we "can't be a destination resort for high 
earners (such as herself) and a pot town at the same time -- you have 
to choose". And she was serious! Ms Arakelian is, according to her 
LinkedIn profile, a "high earner" thanks to a successful career to 
date in pharmaceuticals. In other words, she's made her chops selling 
legal drugs. Highly profitable, the drug business. This pot stuff -- 
which just grows like a weed -- can't be patented. And unlike most 
over the counter drugs, it works. Evidently, pharma people do not 
like the new competition.

That aside, she's probably not old enough to remember the locals' 
name for the old covered quad chair on Vail Mountain. It was called 
the Rasta Bahn, since one could light up easily, shielded from the 
wind. Yes, Christine, people have been skiing and high simultaneously 
for a long time. A lot of people. John Denver had a snappy little hit 
tune about it some 40 years ago. "Rocky Mountain High"? Back in the 
day when a popular bumper sticker out here read, "If you (heart) 
N.Y., take I-70 east!"

It's too bad Vail has to put up with some of the tourists it gets, 
but thankfully most of the 1-percenters who travel here from around 
the world don't have agendas to inflict upon us. Marijuana is legal 
here in Colorado now. If it threatens your "health care" business, do 
enjoy Utah next year. Be careful though -- people smoke pot there, too.

Bill Sepmeier
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom