when was marijuana legalized in colorado
When Was Marijuana Legalized in Colorado?
When was marijuana legalized in Colorado? This question has many people scratching their heads. Thousands of marijuana cases have been treated by doctors in Colorado, including Dr. Monte, who has treated thousands of patients. One retired farmer uses marijuana for aching feet, while another uses it to get over chemotherapy nausea. Some veterans have used marijuana to relieve post-traumatic stress and some children have severe seizures caused by their marijuana use. Ally Fronzaglia smokes pot before bed. if i have a ny medical marijuana card can i use it in a different state
In 2012, Colorado became the 10th state to legalize medical marijuana. Its new law was based on a report by the Nixon administration’s National Commission on Marijuana and Drug Abuse (Shafer Commission). The Shafer Commission recommended decriminalizing marijuana use and other methods to discourage heavy use. The law made possession of less than an ounce of marijuana a petty offense, while harsher consequences were imposed for cultivation and intent to distribute.
After the passage of Amendment 20, some caregivers began providing marijuana to larger groups of patients, primarily through discreet retail locations or delivery services. However, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment imposed an informal rule preventing caregivers from providing medical marijuana to more than five patients. This arbitrary rule triggered a lawsuit by the group Sensible Colorado. It won the lawsuit and legalized marijuana stores in Colorado.
Since the introduction of marijuana legalization, Colorado’s marijuana use has increased by 30 percent, and it is now 76 percent higher than the national average. Youth, twelve to 17 years old, and college-age students use the drug more than their peers. Colorado now has the nation’s highest percentage of adults in need of drug treatment. This trend is expected to continue as marijuana becomes more widely used and more affordable.
After legalizing medical marijuana, Colorado began selling it for recreational use in January 2014. The first recreational marijuana retail sales were launched in January 2014, with 81,722 patients possessing valid registry identification cards by March 2020. But data suggests that medical marijuana patients are dropping out of Colorado’s program. The state’s medical marijuana program imposes additional regulatory burdens on patients, including having to visit their physician each year for a new recommendation, and paying a $25 application processing fee. Patients may find the convenience and ease of recreational retail sales more appealing than the regulations of recreational marijuana.
Despite these concerns, advocates for marijuana legalization in Colorado have been quick to legalize it. While some critics argue that legalization will lead to a mass marijuana rush on the streets, they point to a federal report that shows the number of high school students using the drug has declined significantly since 2009. Another proponent of legalization cites the negative effects of marijuana legalization, such as the fact that marijuana is a gateway drug that leads to heavier controlled substances and higher addiction rates.
The state’s criminal justice system also seems to have taken a hit from the legalization. Crime rates in Colorado rose by 20 percent from 2012 to 2017, which gave critics ammunition for their rhetoric. However, the arrests for marijuana-related crimes dropped by half during the same time period. In addition, marijuana-related crimes accounted for just 1 percent of all crimes in the state. Further, crime-related arrests have fallen 25 percent since recreational sales started in 2014.