Pubdate: Mon, 08 Sep 2014
Source: Buffalo News (NY)
Copyright: 2014 The Buffalo News
Contact: http://drugsense.org/url/GXIzebQL
Website: http://www.buffalonews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/61
Page: A8

POT PIONEERS

Evidence From Legalization in 2 States Will Help Guide Decisions in the Rest

Federalism is the American theory of using the 50 states as legal and 
social laboratories whose experiments can inform the other states and 
the federal government about practices that are worth duplicating and 
those that are not. To the benefit of the rest of the country, 
Colorado and Washington state have embarked on an experiment that may 
answer many questions about the use of marijuana and how governments 
deal with it.

Both states have legalized the recreational use of marijuana and, at 
least in Colorado  whose law was the focus of a recent story in The 
Buffalo News - many of the predicted problems have not materialized. 
Other issues have arisen  problems caused by marijuana-laced candy, 
among them - and, of course, it's only eight months into this 
experiment. But if early indications hold up, it's hard to imagine 
other states won't also move to legalize recreational use of 
marijuana, especially given that pot is ubiquitous, and laws against 
it are already flagrantly disregarded.

Among the revelations in the extensive News article by reporters 
Stephen T. Watson and Scott Scanlon:

There has been no spike in crime, despite predictions by Denver 
police before last year's vote. In fact, serious crime, ranging from 
homicides to auto thefts, is down 10 percent from the same period 
last year. A Denver police spokesman cautioned against drawing 
conclusions after only six months, but it's at least a good start.

Similarly, predictions of increased motor vehicle accidents and 
emergency room visits have been overblown.

The state has generated $30.1 million in taxes, licenses and fees 
from marijuana sales in the first six months of the year.

Some 11,289 Coloradans were working in the marijuana industry as of 
July, an 85 percent increase since the same time last year.

Out-of-state visitors account for 90 percent of retail marijuana 
sales in mountain communities, and for 44 percent of retail sales in 
metro Denver. That suggests the possibility that as other states move 
to legalize recreational use of marijuana, Colorado's economic 
benefits will shrink  just as expanded casino gambling has harmed 
Atlantic City's gambling industry.

But there have been problems, including injuries to children who 
consumed pot-laced candies that look like gummies. Clearly, better 
labeling is needed and possibly an outright ban on products that 
could tempt children. Given the outcry over toy guns and the 
outlawing of candy cigarettes, this is clearly an area that is ripe 
for some form of regulation.

None of this proves that legalizing the recreational use of marijuana 
is good for society, of course. It's another intoxicating substance 
that can cause problems in certain circumstances and whose long-term 
effects on users remain unclear.

But alcohol is already legal and its immediate effects are 
periodically tragic, arguably far worse than those of marijuana. What 
is more, the war against marijuana was lost a long time ago and there 
is, from that perspective, sense in formally acknowledging the 
indisputable facts of its widespread use.

Legalization will allow the redeployment of police and court 
resources and, importantly, put an end to the intolerable racial 
disparities in enforcement of laws that are broadly ignored.

This is not an endorsement for New York to follow the lead of 
Colorado and Washington, but for all the states and the federal 
government to observe what happens there as this experiment 
progresses. In that way, if the day comes - and more likely, when it 
comes - for them to consider relaxing pot laws, there are examples, 
for good or bad, to guide their paths.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom