Tuesday, May 21, 2013
Comment Archives: stories: Columns: CannaBiz
Re: “CannaBiz: The newest on legalization”
Alcohol was legalized in 1933 and marijuana prohibited in 1937 - this gives us several decades' worth of data to determine which is the best policy to control these highly-popular recreational drugs.
While alcohol legalization has successfully kept the alcohol industry free from organized crime, the marijuana prohibition has made marijuana readily available to teenagers and draws criminals into our neighborhoods trying to sell marijuana to our kids.
In addition, the federal marijuana prohibition diverts more than $10 billion a year to the Mexican drug cartels and provided them with an incentive to brutally murder more than 40,000 people in just the last five years - including law enforcement officers, lawyers, children, legislators and journalists. The combination of unrelenting demand and zero legal supply has caused extreme harm to a great many innocent people without yielding any discernible benefit back to society.
It's time to stop the experiment and control marijuana like alcohol. We need legal adult marijuana sales in supermarkets, gas stations and pharmacies for exactly the same reason that we need legal alcohol and tobacco sales - to keep drug-dealing criminals out of our neighborhoods and away from our children. Marijuana businesses should be regulated just like any other business, and home marijuana production should be just as legal as making home brew.
Posted by
jway
on 08/11/2011 at 9:20 AM
Re: “CannaBiz: Back behind the wheel”
You need to consider the actual arrest numbers, not just the percent increase. According to Heather Halpape, at CDOT, DUI-pot arrests increased from 351 arrests in 2009 to 599 arrests in 2010. Total DUI arrests for each year were about 27,000, so DUI-pot increased from 1.2% of all DUI arrests in 2009, to 2% of all DUI arrests in 2010. The numbers are way up, but are a minuscule part of the impaired driving problem in Colorado.
Per SAMHSA.gov, Colorado has about 2,300,000 drinkers, so just over 1% of drinkers are arrested for DUI each year. We have about 370,000 monthly pot smokers, and 130,000 patients, so about 0.1% of pot smokers are arrested for DUI each year.
Posted by
Wes55
on 07/30/2011 at 3:16 PM
Re: “CannaBiz: Marijuana and sexual assault”
As a former taxi driver, I have driven people who were high on marijuana and people who were snot-slingin' drunk. The stoned ones were polite and knew their way home. The drunk ones often passed out before they could direct me to their house/barracks and sometimes all I could do was get them in front of their residence, pull them from the cab and leave them on the sidewalk. Just sayin' ...
Posted by
Spencer Eden
on 07/26/2011 at 9:51 AM
Re: “CannaBiz: Department of Justice sends top-down clarification on MMJ policy”
Please push for more open records requests. The Cities, Counties, and State are trying to bleed MMCs dry. Keep us updated
Posted by
MileHiMMJPatient
on 07/07/2011 at 10:30 AM
Re: “CannaBiz: The trouble with licensing”
So after taking in $10 MILLION in fees, the MMED still can't get this right. Matt Cook and the MMED have failed. Good luck to the MMCs out there.
Posted by
MileHiMMJPatient
on 06/30/2011 at 6:52 PM
Re: “CannaBiz: MMJ advocate leaving”
..."But [the industry] could be a strong force if they could band together and do that."
I agree with Mary, we could be a strong force if we could band together- There are so many patients who are home bound, handicapped, elderly, or just plain unaware.
I don't believe that the average CO MMJ patient is aware of a lot of what's going on 'behind the scenes' . I mean most of us have a hard time just getting to doctor's appointments and going grocery shopping. There is a community within our community that is at or below poverty level.
May I refer to Maslow's Heirarchy of Needs- we need to reach that "other community", you know, the one that lives on next to nothing, struggling to make ends meet. Some of those people can't see past the pain or the stress of everyday living nevertheless staying up to date on all forever changing laws.
Everybody seems to be making money from the "industry"- which is fine, whatever, we all gotta pay the bills somehow. All I'm sayin' is that there is an untapped patient population that are not in the "industry" and would be happy to vote if they could get a ride....
As for me, I am a mere patient and though I live on a very limited income due to my disability I don't fall through the cracks because, well, simply put, I gotta big mouth!
Posted by
JusMeAngie
on 06/23/2011 at 9:19 AM
Re: “CannaBiz: MMJ advocate leaving”
WE MISS YOU MARY!!!!
Posted by
James Mc
on 06/22/2011 at 10:24 PM
Re: “CannaBiz: Another honor for Strawberry Fields”
Thanks for the support Jack! You too G.Omurry! And thank you to all of our loyal customers who voted for us! We appreciate you!!!
HOLDING IT DOWN IN C-TOWN!!!
-The SF Crew.
Posted by
Strawberry Fields Admin
on 06/17/2011 at 4:53 PM
Re: “CannaBiz: Another honor for Strawberry Fields”
AMCS would like to invite you to attend our End the War on Drugs Party - June 17th, 18th, 19th, 2011.
A win for Strawberry Fields is a win for ALL MMJ Centers and Colorado Springs.
AMCS would like to congratuatate the SF team. Keep up the good work, nieghbor.
June 17 marks the 40th anniversary of President Nixon's declaration of war on drugs, an effort that has cost the U.S. $1 trillion to date. What have we gotten for our investment?
Not much that's good. Drug use in the U.S. has dropped since its peak in 1979, when surveys showed that 54% of high school seniors reported using an illegal drug at least once in the past year; that proportion has bounced up and down since 1988 and has settled at about 38%. But the rate of the most dangerous type of drug use - daily use - has remained virtually unchanged since 1975 for marijuana, cocaine and opioids.
Our team supports safe, informed and affordable access to MMJ for qualified and registered patients in accordance with the Colorado Constitution, Amend 20, and HB 1284.
www.medical-marijuana-center.com
Posted by
amcs
on 06/17/2011 at 3:03 PM
Re: “CannaBiz: Another honor for Strawberry Fields”
I checked into that and it could not be, the other centers they were up against in Denver and Boulder have 3 and 4 retail locations, all of them with the "gold" listings. So if what you were saying is true, then surely one of those bigger operations should have one. No, this one is for real, Go C.Springs for the Colorado MMJ scene!!!!!!
Posted by
G.Omurry
on 06/16/2011 at 8:32 PM
Re: “CannaBiz: Sign spinning shenanigans”
Dear Tree of Life, while we respect your rights to 'spin signs' it does add a bit of clown and circus like mentality to your brand.
Indeed, as I drove by two weeks ago the spinners were spinning like champs - but they looked just like the stereotypical dealers, users, and 'g-men' that one would expect on a bad hip hop album.
I truly respect your rights - but your brand has only as much value as you present it.
Last year Tree of Life won 'best of' for good cause. It was a classy place.
This year, Tree of Life will certainly win the spinners contest. Good luck to us all.
Posted by
amcs
on 06/09/2011 at 1:27 PM
Re: “CannaBiz: 'The end of caregivers?'”
The Care Giver is cemented in the Colorado Constitution. It is protected; however, changes are coming.
As with all laws, they change. AMCS has spent $100's of thousand to be compliant.
AMCS believes that the war on drugs has cost billions of dollars and thousands of lives.
On June 17th, the war on drugs will be 40 years old. Let's just say "NO" to the war on drugs. Let's regulate tax and monitor.
Colorado is quickly becoming THE leading MMJ State. We can and should set the highest standards.
We wish our caregiver friends the best of luck - you may need it.
www.medical-marijuana-center.com
Posted by
amcs
on 06/09/2011 at 1:07 PM
Re: “CannaBiz: Sign spinning shenanigans”
You guys are lucky. Those sign spinners are everywhere in Denver. It is getting a little out of hand.
Posted by
MileHiMMJPatient
on 06/02/2011 at 6:03 PM
Re: “CannaBiz: House Bill 1261 needs research”
I am gratified that our politicians have decided to get some facts regarding the blood level of THC and driving (or any other activity, like working!). The federal recognized UA testing is only accurate to 15 nanograms and it can detect THC for about 30 days after cessation of use. There should be limits, but to condemn patients to be persecuted for using a LEGAL herbal medicine, with limits that are someone's fantasy, with standards and rules for use that are not required for any other legally administered medication is a misapplication of the political/legal system.
Posted by
Starless and Bible Black
on 04/21/2011 at 8:35 AM
Re: “CannaBiz: DOR releases MMJ rules”
Please don't vote for any of the "reform team", or any of these ultra-Conservatives.
Another good question...where were the reform team when all of the candidate showed up to present their ideas on questions the other night? The news reported they would not show up due to planned parenthood being a sponsor. Well if they won't represent all of us, and our rights, they should not represent any of us!
Posted by
WhiteRabbit
on 03/24/2011 at 6:52 PM
Re: “CannaBiz: DOR releases MMJ rules”
Doug Bruce is all talk no show. Where was he on March 22 when the city council passed and ordnance that will quite possibly put the dispensaries out of business? I didn't see him stand up before the city council and speak against the ordnance.
Posted by
JENSENBIZ
on 03/24/2011 at 8:00 AM
Re: “CannaBiz: New bill could change edibles status”
It makes no sense that anyone would attack a patient's rights to ingest medical marijuana as an edible. Older patients who never smoked, never will. They can safely benefit from THC through edibles. Please find these delusioned legislators a job. Perhaps they would serve their constituents more effectively by bringing work to Colorado; not by seeking to destroy a beneficial, tax-paying industry.
Posted by
MountainMama
on 02/23/2011 at 9:47 PM
Re: “CannaBiz”
NOT VERY SAFE INDEED!!! I have to wonder about Identity Theft with our MMJ patient files with MMCs and feel that MMCs should be under a high money penalty for unsecure disclosure to employees or disposal of said records. It is not right that we are required to give our SS# to MMCs if they are not going to keep the info under lock and key. Can any employee see my SS#? How about credit card info?
Posted by
gurudori
on 01/07/2011 at 8:20 AM
Re: “CannaBiz”
physician preferred products,
this place has the dank meds across the board, they are on top of their game and they will eventually compete with nearby springs dispensarys..I have visited alot of the COLORADO AVE centers...and will tell you none of them carry as many top shelfs grown properly and with the finish that Physician Preferred....
Good luck and success!!
Jimbo
Posted by
Jimbo
on 01/01/2011 at 11:53 PM
Re: “CannaBiz: MMCs find bank to take their accounts”
AMCS would like to thank Tanya and her team for working so hard to help keep our industry alive and well in Colorado Springs. Tanya, we salute you!
www.medical-marijuana-center.com