Limitations—to help or hinder?

Colorado
has now completed its first year of legalized growing, selling and consuming
retail cannabis. Colorado has seen hordes of visiting tourists who are here to
partake of the popular nectar, which is prohibited in their home states. Sweet
progressive Colorado. In the face of opposition, if not disdain of its own
politicians, the citizens of Colorado have proven their wisdom in passing
Amendment 64. Not only has the legalization brought significant revenues to the
coffers of the state (some estimate 60 million in taxes this past year) but it
has also brought a lower crime rate, tourists and a distinction that no other
state will ever be able to claim; the first state in the United States to
legalize cannabis. The good folks in Colorado have a right to take a few
minutes and bask in the radiance of success.

The
naysayers will be proven wrong in the end. The worries about children toking up
at school now more than ever and families addicted to cannabis, just do not
seem to be materializing. As this legalization spreads over the nation these
worries will become just another part of our society; not exacerbated by access
which is long overdue. We have these worries about many things including
nicotine and alcohol. They are not to be scoffed at but addressed as we would
any concern.

I could
spend this time listing all of the revenues that the cannabis has brought to
Colorado over this past year. That isn’t the whole story though. What is
happening is little by little, day by day, the cultivation, sale and use of cannabis
is becoming, much to the chagrin of many, mainstream in America.

Think
about when you walk into a liquor store; or buy beer at your grocery store. One
day buying various strains of cannabis will be as commonplace. The importance
of this isn’t that everyone should consume cannabis, the significance is that
we have a free choice of a product which has brought pleasure to many, medical
assistance to legions, without the harm that other substances offer.

Maybe it
will take a generation or two, but the path is set and we are traveling
collectively along it towards another destination of freedom of governmental
control. Now is the time to be vigilant that we don’t allow this territory to
be limited and taken over by larger concerns.

There is
talk that Colorado will introduce a law limiting the number of licenses
allowing businesses to grow and sell cannabis. There is already a limitation
built in to the current regulations by giving local governments the ability to
determine how many licenses are allowed in their city or county. Therein lies
the limitation already built in to the regulations. Once the state sets a
limit; it will drive up the price of licenses so only the very rich and large
companies can control the industry and the little guy will be left out.