Pubdate: Sun, 21 Sep 2014
Source: Denver Post (CO)
Copyright: 2014 The Denver Post Corp
Contact:  http://www.denverpost.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/122
Author: Michael Elliott
Note: Other members of the Jefferson County Marijuana Task Force 
signing on to this report were Brian Richardson, an independent 
insurance agency owner; Erin Phillips, owner of Strainwise, Inc.; and 
attorney Jordan Wellington.
Page: 1D

Point-Counterpoint

Should Jefferson County Allow Retail Marijuana Stores in 
Unincorporated Parts of the County?

YES: IT'S IN THE COUNTY ANYWAY; WHY NOT PROFIT?

The question isn't whether marijuana will be sold and consumed in 
Jefferson County. That is happening and will continue. The question 
is whether Jefferson County will start taking real steps to shut down 
the black market and begin to reap the benefits of legal marijuana sales.

Marijuana has been bought and sold in Jefferson County for decades; 
it's just happened in the shadows. It's been sold by people who don't 
care who they sell to, and who have no stake in anything other than 
making the next sale. They don't care if they sell to your kid or the 
person next door. Everyone's a potential customer.

The sad fact is that after 45 years of the war on marijuana, it 
remains universally available.

Jefferson County now has the opportunity to start strangling the 
black market and to replace it with a responsible, strictly regulated 
and controlled industry. The people want this: Marijuana legalization 
passed with 54 percent support of Jefferson County voters.

Jefferson County faces the following choice: Choose a model similar 
to alcohol that embraces licensing, regulation, transparency, 
accountability, and taxation; or stick with the current model where 
the sale of marijuana is dominated by organized crime, similar to Al 
Capone's criminal enterprise, and illegal home-grows operate 
unencumbered throughout Jefferson County neighborhoods.

By allowing licensed marijuana businesses, Jefferson County will 
improve the economy, create hundreds of jobs, collect millions in new 
tax revenue, boost real estate and construction, and eliminate many 
problems caused by black market operators.

The doom and gloom predictions of opponents didn't come to pass. In 
fact, it's been just the opposite.

Crime: Denver's violent crime rate has decreased substantially post 
legalization. In the last year, homicides are down 32 percent and 
sexual assaults are down 14.7 percent. Traffic fatalities are near 
record lows in Colorado. Data from the Colorado Department of 
Transportation shows fatalities plummeted from 743 in 2002 to 481 in 2013.

Teen use: Since legalization, teen marijuana use in Colorado has 
dropped from 22 percent in 2011 to 20 percent in 2013, according to 
the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. Teen use 
also decreased from 24.8 percent in 2009 to 22 percent in 2011, 
according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. These 
decreases happened at the same time that Colorado licensed and 
regulated over 500 marijuana businesses and legalized marijuana for 
those 21 and up.

Colorado's teen marijuana use rate is currently 3.4 percent below the 
national average of 23.4 percent.

The economy: Numerous studies show marijuana reform has been a major 
benefit to Colorado. Colorado has the fastest-growing economy in the 
nation, according to Business Insider.

Tourism: The state of Colorado, the city of Denver, and the Colorado 
ski industry are all reporting record tourism. Colorado is also 
experiencing record construction and real estate.

Jobs: According to the Colorado Department of Revenue, there are well 
over 10,000 jobs in the marijuana industry- and that doesn't include 
thousands of additional jobs for construction workers, electricians, 
architects, accountants, security, real estate, legal, law 
enforcement, and more.

Public health: A new study shows that legal access to marijuana is 
associated with fewer prescription drug overdose deaths. Another 
recent study shows that couples that smoke marijuana are less likely 
to engage in domestic violence.

By banning licensed, regulated and taxed marijuana businesses, 
Jefferson County residents would continue to buy from black market 
operators, or simply purchase marijuana from legal marijuana 
businesses in neighboring localities. Under this model, Jefferson 
County will have increased costs trying to fight an uncontrollable 
black market, but will be transferring the economic benefits and 
revenue to neighboring localities that opt in.

By opting in, Jefferson County will be following the will of its 
voters, and will take this unique opportunity to squeeze out the 
black market, improve the economy, create jobs, enhance revenue, and 
increase the basic civil liberties of its citizens.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom