# Colorado: the beginning of the end of Prohibition (recreational cannabis use)? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [January 2, 2014, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colorado-the-beginning-of-the-end-of-prohibition-recreational-cannabis-use/677703 "2014-01-02T15:33:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2014, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colorado-the-beginning-of-the-end-of-prohibition-recreational-cannabis-use/677703/61 "2014-01-03T18:09:43Z")
You don’t _need_ to, but it would certainly be helpful. The Constitution, standing alone, is a fairly abstract document. The Founders didn’t bother much with specifics. That’s why we don’t read the Constitution standing alone to find the answer to a constitutional question; we read all the interpretation too. If the document itself had included more specifics and commentary, we wouldn’t have to do that. ---
**Author:** ![Farin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e79b87/32.png) [@Farin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Farin)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2014, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colorado-the-beginning-of-the-end-of-prohibition-recreational-cannabis-use/677703/62 "2014-01-03T18:10:35Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > You don’t _need_ to, but it would certainly be helpful. The Constitution, standing alone, is a fairly abstract document. The Founders didn’t bother much with specifics. That’s why we don’t read the Constitution standing alone to find the answer to a constitutional question; we read all the interpretation too. If the document itself had included more specifics and commentary, we wouldn’t have to do that. But…it also wouldn’t look as good on display if it were the size of War & Peace. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2014, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colorado-the-beginning-of-the-end-of-prohibition-recreational-cannabis-use/677703/63 "2014-01-03T18:11:21Z")
Sure it would. How many people do you know with coffee table pamphlets? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![watchwolf49](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9c0ed/32.png) [@watchwolf49](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/watchwolf49)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2014, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colorado-the-beginning-of-the-end-of-prohibition-recreational-cannabis-use/677703/64 "2014-01-03T18:37:42Z")
The Green Rush … flocks of investors rushing into the business side of Marijuana. It’s a whole new industry opening up that looks to be on the huge side, judging by the long long lines in front of the Colorado shops. It’s speculated that few who smoked before are indulging, rather many many who are now starting to smoke, simply because it is legal. It is a felony under Federal Law, come January 0f 2017 we may well have a President intent on stopping these state laws. > [@BrokenBriton](#): > > Millions in tax revenue (a 21.22% sales tax) I’m slow on this point … Tobacco needs a couple years to cure, beer and other spirits are fairly complicated to produce … regular person may think just paying the tax is easier. Marijuana is tons and bunches easier to produce, seed in the ground and let it go. It’s a troublesome weed across vast areas in the USA’s corn belt. I really believe these tax revenue forecasts are overly optimistic. > [@BrokenBriton](#): > > Releasing police to concentrate on crime Our local law enforcement gave up on Marijuana laws some years ago, focusing on meth instead. It’s been profoundly successful. This has also collapsed the street price of Marijuana, $150 an oz for medicinal grade. It’s not KGB, but the local gangs are strapped for cash and moving on. Kids, let’s not drive buzzed … it’s bad form. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2014, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colorado-the-beginning-of-the-end-of-prohibition-recreational-cannabis-use/677703/65 "2014-01-03T18:39:15Z")
Most Americans have never grown anything more complicated than a windowsill cactus. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2014, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colorado-the-beginning-of-the-end-of-prohibition-recreational-cannabis-use/677703/66 "2014-01-03T18:46:39Z")
> [@watchwolf49](#): > > I’m slow on this point … Tobacco needs a couple years to cure, beer and other spirits are fairly complicated to produce … regular person may think just paying the tax is easier. Marijuana is tons and bunches easier to produce, seed in the ground and let it go. It’s a troublesome weed across vast areas in the USA’s corn belt. I really believe these tax revenue forecasts are overly optimistic. What you see growing as a weed is basically industrial grade Hemp. Useful for ropes, but little else. The THC content is too low. The high quality stuff needs light, warmth, fertile soil (or lots of fertilizer) just to grow. Then once it is harvested, it needs to be dried/cured (but not too dry!) and trimmed. That’s the part where the labor comes in. Then it needs to be carefully handled and stored. ---
**Author:** ![watchwolf49](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9c0ed/32.png) [@watchwolf49](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/watchwolf49)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2014, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colorado-the-beginning-of-the-end-of-prohibition-recreational-cannabis-use/677703/67 "2014-01-03T18:47:05Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Most Americans have never grown anything more complicated than a windowsill cactus. If one can grow weeds, then they can grow pot … seed into the ground and six months later, dig it up. It’s really that easy. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2014, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colorado-the-beginning-of-the-end-of-prohibition-recreational-cannabis-use/677703/68 "2014-01-03T18:47:10Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Most Americans have never grown anything more complicated than a windowsill cactus. Look, they call marijuana “weed” for a reason … it IS a weed. Under the right conditions, which includes most of the continental US, it’s hard to KEEP IT from growing. Outdoors, you dig a hole, put some seeds in, and wait. That’s about it. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2014, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colorado-the-beginning-of-the-end-of-prohibition-recreational-cannabis-use/677703/69 "2014-01-03T18:49:59Z")
> [@watchwolf49](#): > > I’m slow on this point … Tobacco needs a couple years to cure, beer and other spirits are fairly complicated to produce … regular person may think just paying the tax is easier. Marijuana is tons and bunches easier to produce, seed in the ground and let it go. It’s a troublesome weed across vast areas in the USA’s corn belt. I really believe these tax revenue forecasts are overly optimistic. I don’t know. I’ve been buying MMJ for a year. There is NEVER any seeds in any off it. I wonder where to come up with good seeds? I doubt the retailers are going to want to part with them. ---
**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2014, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colorado-the-beginning-of-the-end-of-prohibition-recreational-cannabis-use/677703/70 "2014-01-03T18:51:47Z")
> [@Evil\_Captor](#): > > Well once 37 states have legalized it, couldn’t they vote for a Constitutional Convention and push through an amendment legalizing it? Not a hell of a lot the Feds could do under those circumstances. A Constitutional Convention, once convened, is not limited to one amendment. Or any amendments. The whole Constitution is up for throwing out and rewriting. ---
**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2014, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colorado-the-beginning-of-the-end-of-prohibition-recreational-cannabis-use/677703/71 "2014-01-03T18:54:30Z")
> [@Evil\_Captor](#): > > John, your warning is well taken, but I suspect that as RNATB says, the feds will cave once legalization reaches 37 states – probably well before then – because they are the absolute LAST people who would want a constitutional convention. Once it is legalized in 37 states, those 37 states have enough Senators and Reps in Congress to push through federal legislation on marijuana. No need for such extreme measures as a Constitutional Convention. A Constitutional Convention is about as likely in the US as a military coup. Even less, I would say. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2014, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colorado-the-beginning-of-the-end-of-prohibition-recreational-cannabis-use/677703/72 "2014-01-03T18:54:59Z")
> [@Terr](#): > > A Constitutional Convention, once convened, is not limited to one amendment. Or any amendments. The whole Constitution is up for throwing out and rewriting. Yeah, we hashed that out in the posts near the top of this page. ---
**Author:** ![watchwolf49](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9c0ed/32.png) [@watchwolf49](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/watchwolf49)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2014, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colorado-the-beginning-of-the-end-of-prohibition-recreational-cannabis-use/677703/73 "2014-01-03T18:55:40Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > The **high** quality stuff needs light, warmth, fertile soil (or lots of fertilizer) just to grow. Then once it is harvested, it needs to be dried/cured (but not too dry!) and trimmed. That’s the part where the labor comes in. Then it needs to be carefully handled and stored. [bold mine] You are absolutely correct, there are strains in Humboldt County specifically engineered to grow under lights and with hydroponic substrate. They may not even grow at all in sunlight and soil. But a medium grade Afghan strain grows just as good as ditch-weed, and it’ll get you high enough. Give me six plants and I don’t care if they go to seed, that’s still twice as much as I could smoke in a year. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2014, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colorado-the-beginning-of-the-end-of-prohibition-recreational-cannabis-use/677703/74 "2014-01-03T19:00:27Z")
> [@enipla](#): > > I don’t know. I’ve been buying MMJ for a year. There is NEVER any seeds in any off it. I wonder where to come up with good seeds? I doubt the retailers are going to want to part with them. Black market pot [apparently has seeds](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGsq1K7f_yc). ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2014, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colorado-the-beginning-of-the-end-of-prohibition-recreational-cannabis-use/677703/75 "2014-01-03T19:04:22Z")
> [@Evil\_Captor](#): > > Yeah, we hashed that out in the posts near the top of this page. _smacks **Evil Captor** with a stoned trout_ ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2014, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colorado-the-beginning-of-the-end-of-prohibition-recreational-cannabis-use/677703/76 "2014-01-03T19:06:45Z")
Not having seeds is done by culling the male plants as soon as they show their genitals. 😉 The female plants, in the absence of male pollen, continue to put effort into the flowers, but no seeds can form. ---
**Author:** ![watchwolf49](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9c0ed/32.png) [@watchwolf49](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/watchwolf49)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2014, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colorado-the-beginning-of-the-end-of-prohibition-recreational-cannabis-use/677703/77 "2014-01-03T19:07:46Z")
> [@enipla](#): > > I don’t know. I’ve been buying MMJ for a year. There is NEVER any seeds in any off it. I wonder where to come up with good seeds? I doubt the retailers are going to want to part with them. The market here is for cuttings, selectively bred for sense-su-mia [spelting anyone?, please]. I don’t know if you know much about the cultivation of Apples, but I have a volunteer root stock variety that produces small, firm and very sweet apples every other year. Now, you want premium stuff, you may pay $1000 a cutting (or seed), but if you’re happy with mediocre stuff … I don’t know, ask around … see what can be had. I believe in the State of California, a licensed person can pick up a kit for $80 … that’ll get you medicinal grade. ---
**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2014, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colorado-the-beginning-of-the-end-of-prohibition-recreational-cannabis-use/677703/78 "2014-01-03T19:14:45Z")
> [@watchwolf49](#): > > sense-su-mia [spelting anyone?, please]. Sensimilla. ---
**Author:** ![watchwolf49](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9c0ed/32.png) [@watchwolf49](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/watchwolf49)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2014, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colorado-the-beginning-of-the-end-of-prohibition-recreational-cannabis-use/677703/79 "2014-01-03T19:19:56Z")
> [@Terr](#): > > Sensimilla. Thank you [blush] ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2014, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colorado-the-beginning-of-the-end-of-prohibition-recreational-cannabis-use/677703/80 "2014-01-03T19:23:00Z")
> [@Evil\_Captor](#): > > Look, they call marijuana “weed” for a reason … it IS a weed. Under the right conditions, which includes most of the continental US, it’s hard to KEEP IT from growing. Outdoors, you dig a hole, put some seeds in, and wait. That’s about it. I didn’t know that - but you still have to dry and process it and all that. I wouldn’t grow my own tobacco even if my yard was already full of the stuff. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colorado-the-beginning-of-the-end-of-prohibition-recreational-cannabis-use/677703.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colorado-the-beginning-of-the-end-of-prohibition-recreational-cannabis-use/677703.md?page=5)