# Colorado legalized it! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 7, 2012, 6:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colorado-legalized-it/640185 "2012-11-07T06:42:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2012, 6:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colorado-legalized-it/640185/1 "2012-11-07T06:42:12Z")
And so did Washington! Oregon said no, but still, two states! California, you’re next, right? It should just never have been illegal in the first place. It’s incredible what people used to believe, and some still do. That it would lead to heroin. That it was on the same level as heroin. That it made you a sex maniac. That possession was worth five or more years in prison. Such rage against a substance that makes people feel so mellow. I hope this is the start of something good. ---
**Author:** ![MichaelEmouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/michaelemouse/32/101_2.png) [@MichaelEmouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MichaelEmouse)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2012, 7:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colorado-legalized-it/640185/2 "2012-11-07T07:32:57Z")
How come Washington and Colorado did but not Oregon? Going by general reputation, you’d expect Oregon to be more likely to legalize pot than Wash and Colorado. Could the fed succeed in making it a federal crime to produce/purchase/consume, even if purely within Wash or Colorado? ---
**Author:** ![voltaire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voltaire/32/313_2.png) [@voltaire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voltaire)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2012, 7:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colorado-legalized-it/640185/3 "2012-11-07T07:42:08Z")
Well, they’re lucky Obama won, or else things would almost certainly have gotten very messy with the Feds under Romney. Now that Obama doesn’t have to worry about reelection, it sure will be interesting to see how this goes down. With legalization in Colorado and Washington, it will be interesting to see how they handle regulation. Of particular interest will be how well they handle the almost unavoidable mass diversion to other states. Since it will be taxed to heck within both states, there will be built-in incentive to divert product out to states where not only can it be sold tax-free, but where street prices will probably be much higher. There will almost certainly be a lot of issues arising from all that, and it will bring a lot of pressure for it to be addressed at the Federal level, one way or the other. ---
**Author:** ![Crazyhorse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crazyhorse/32/31_2.png) [@Crazyhorse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crazyhorse)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2012, 8:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colorado-legalized-it/640185/4 "2012-11-07T08:29:25Z")
> [@voltaire](#): > > Of particular interest will be how well they handle the almost unavoidable mass diversion to other states. Since it will be taxed to heck within both states, there will be built-in incentive to divert product out to states where not only can it be sold tax-free, but where street prices will probably be much higher. > > There will almost certainly be a lot of issues arising from all that, and it will bring a lot of pressure for it to be addressed at the Federal level, one way or the other. A [recent study](http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/mexico-study-us-legalization-cuts-cartel-profits-17612383#.UJoTTYb4LcA) by a Mexican think tank estimates that Mexican drug cartels could lose up to 30% of their revenue from the US (over $3 billion) for this very reason. They conclude that if it were legal in any one of the three states there would be enough leaking out to every other state to pretty much eliminate the market for smuggling it to the US from Mexico. This leaves the question who would be in charge of smuggling operations within the US - chances are they won’t be much nicer people than cartels. If the human costs of the US appetite for weed are paid closer to home and in the US news every night, it will probably get a response at the federal level very quickly one way or the other. ---
**Author:** ![Nanoda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Nanoda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nanoda)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2012, 8:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colorado-legalized-it/640185/5 "2012-11-07T08:43:32Z")
Fantastic! I’d like to see B.C. follow suit, and end criminal control of the enterprise in that province. OTOH, our yearly riding at Silverstar and Whistler might just get a bit _more_ dangerous. 😃 Hopefully any fallout like that **Crazyhorse** mentions will expand rather than stifle this. ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2012, 9:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colorado-legalized-it/640185/6 "2012-11-07T09:20:42Z")
> [@MichaelEmouse](#): > > How come Washington and Colorado did but not Oregon? Going by general reputation, you’d expect Oregon to be more likely to legalize pot than Wash and Colorado. > > Could the fed succeed in making it a federal crime to produce/purchase/consume, even if purely within Wash or Colorado? I’ve wondered how something like this might go down. I’m actually surprised to see it get passed this election cycle. I thought it would be many more years before a state (let alone two!) would actually legalize it. I’m thinking the Feds wouldn’t get involved unless it became a Federal issue. Trafficking between state lines, perhaps? I wonder if many states, if not all, might eventually follow suit. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2012, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colorado-legalized-it/640185/7 "2012-11-07T12:14:54Z")
> [@cmyk](#): > > I’ve wondered how something like this might go down. I’m actually surprised to see it get passed this election cycle. I thought it would be many more years before a state (let alone two!) would actually legalize it. > > I’m thinking the Feds wouldn’t get involved unless it became a Federal issue. Trafficking between state lines, perhaps? > > I wonder if many states, if not all, might eventually follow suit. There will be revenue. It is a federal issue. ---
**Author:** ![monavis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e0b2c6/32.png) [@monavis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monavis)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2012, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colorado-legalized-it/640185/8 "2012-11-07T12:41:48Z")
I have often wondered :why do people need a drug to be happy, why not find pleasure in small things,like seeing the smile of a small baby, beautiful sunset etc. To me seeing others happy is feeling good about life and I try every way I can to do this. One can grow by going outside of one’s own self and like an old song: Accentuate the positive, eliminate the negative, and don’t mess with Mr in-between! ---
**Author:** ![Crazyhorse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crazyhorse/32/31_2.png) [@Crazyhorse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crazyhorse)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2012, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colorado-legalized-it/640185/9 "2012-11-07T12:47:39Z")
> [@monavis](#): > > To me seeing others happy is feeling good about life and I try every way I can to do this. In that case you should definitely visit Colorado or Washington. You will see millions of very happy people. ---
**Author:** ![PlainJain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5daacb/32.png) [@PlainJain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PlainJain)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2012, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colorado-legalized-it/640185/10 "2012-11-07T13:33:24Z")
> [@monavis](#): > > I have often wondered :why do people need a drug to be happy, why not find pleasure in small things,like seeing the smile of a small baby, beautiful sunset etc. To me seeing others happy is feeling good about life and I try every way I can to do this. One can grow by going outside of one’s own self and like an old song: Accentuate the positive, eliminate the negative, and don’t mess with Mr in-between! :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2012, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colorado-legalized-it/640185/11 "2012-11-07T13:34:07Z")
I guess legal pot stores will spring up along each road into the state just inside the border. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2012, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colorado-legalized-it/640185/12 "2012-11-07T13:37:17Z")
I think someone was looking for the “philosophically debate the merits of psychoactive substances” thread, not the “is it moral to prohibit victimless crimes” thread. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2012, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colorado-legalized-it/640185/13 "2012-11-07T13:53:15Z")
> [@Hypno-Toad](#): > > I guess legal pot stores will spring up along each road into the state just inside the border. There are already thousands of dispensaries for medical marijuana in Colorado. I really wonder how this is going to affect them. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2012, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colorado-legalized-it/640185/14 "2012-11-07T14:01:22Z")
Boy howdy, it’s going to be a different ride up the ski lifts from now on. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2012, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colorado-legalized-it/640185/15 "2012-11-07T14:05:08Z")
> [@monavis](#): > > I have often wondered :why do people need a drug to be happy, why not find pleasure in small things,like seeing the smile of a small baby, beautiful sunset etc. I hear a beautiful sunset can be even more pleasurable when you’re high. ---
**Author:** ![Gedd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gedd/32/4938_2.png) [@Gedd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gedd)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2012, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colorado-legalized-it/640185/16 "2012-11-07T15:53:04Z")
> [@monavis](#): > > I have often wondered :why do people need a drug to be happy, why not find pleasure in small things,like seeing the smile of a small baby, beautiful sunset etc. Baby smiles and sunsets are only available at certain times of the day. Other things that can make you happy (chocolate, sex, humor, pot etc) are often found more on-demand. ---
**Author:** ![echoreply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/echoreply/32/3641_2.png) [@echoreply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/echoreply)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2012, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colorado-legalized-it/640185/17 "2012-11-07T15:53:07Z")
> [@voltaire](#): > > Well, they’re lucky Obama won, or else things would almost certainly have gotten very messy with the Feds under Romney. Now that Obama doesn’t have to worry about reelection, it sure will be interesting to see how this goes down. There have been larger crackdowns on medical marijuana in Colorado under the Obama administration than under Bush. I have no explanation for this. It’s not clear to me if it’s the US Attorney acting without direction from the administration, or if the federal government’s position and actions in the last year are directed from the top. It will be interesting in Colorado. My guess is that local police won’t arrest/ticket people who just happen to be holding under the allowed amount. However, I can see the Feds raiding grow operations which though complying with local laws, are big enough to come to their attention. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2012, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colorado-legalized-it/640185/18 "2012-11-07T15:55:39Z")
> [@monavis](#): > > I have often wondered :why do people need a drug to be happy Happier, not happy. ---
**Author:** ![Taomist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/53a042/32.png) [@Taomist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taomist)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2012, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colorado-legalized-it/640185/19 "2012-11-07T15:58:22Z")
I’m guessing that Oregon’s ups-and-downs regarding weed are purely political. I lived in Portland in 87, and it was decriminalized: a person could have an ounce of weed on his person or property, and it was a 500 dollar fine. One I doubt was ever enforced, unless someone was being a dick and the cop had had enough. We were pulled over once with a very smelly, juicy quarter in our glovebox, and the cop didn’t care; just said “It’s under an ounce, right?”. I had to go look up what happened, and I guess it got recriminalized in 97…right when I left Oregon, hehe. My timing is good 🙂 But yeah, I’m sure there was some political reason it got re-criminalized, and a political reason it’s still that way. One thing I am _quite_ sure of is that it has nothing to do with what the population there actually WANTS. It’s all politics. (Which USED to be about what the population wanted, right?) ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2012, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colorado-legalized-it/640185/20 "2012-11-07T16:15:17Z")
The feds can either look the other way in CO and WA, and let us govern ourselves (states rights, right?) or they can argue to override the new state-level legislation on the grounds of…what…that only drug cartels should have the right to sell & distribute the stuff? It’s time for the feds to withdraw on this subject, and two states standing up for themselves is a great time to do it without losing face: “Well, if this is the will of the people, then so be it.” Oh, and fireworks stands on the borders of some states as well as Indian Reservations are not uncommon. The rule is–light 'em off here or risk Johnny Law if you light 'em off at home. There was some low-level smuggling, but on the whole the only ones hurt were the morons who held on to an M80 for too long. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colorado-legalized-it/640185.md?page=2)