Colorado was the first state to legalize the recreational sale and use of marijuana back in November of 2012, with the first sale taking place in downtown Denver on New Year’s Day in 2014.
Grand Junction residents didn’t decide to approve the sale of retail marijuana until April 2021 despite it having been legalized for nearly a decade. 56% of Grand Junction voters were in favor of the change. After a little more red tape, the City Council set the limit to ten stores. The first one, Lucky Me Dispensary, had a “soft” opening on Oct. 13 of last year, with several other shops opening shortly after.
When discussing the sale and use of recreational marijuana, people tend to have strong feelings, either for or against it. Knowing this, I feel it is essential to give strong evidence for my conclusions. Another footnote I believe to be important is that I will not be focusing on medicinal usage at all because I am not a doctor.
As a Pueblo native, I got to see the entire evolution of recreational weed, from completely illegal when I was a child, up until I left for college where there were as many dispensaries as gas stations, if not more. The best part of these shops back home was the amount of tax revenue they brought in for the City and County of Pueblo.
In 2021, almost $800,000 of revenue was created from the 6% tax rate, which is similar to the 5% rate Grand Junction has set for our dispensaries. This money aims to improve parks, recreation and open spaces using the PROS Master Plan, which details over $157 million in the next eight to ten years. Along with tax revenue, marijuana sales can benefit local economies in several other ways, such as job creation and investment opportunities.
Another main reason for the legalization of cannabis is the ability to regulate it. Within an underground market, there is no viable way for a government to regulate or create revenue from the use of recreational marijuana.
According to American Addictions Centers, marijuana laced with fentanyl is on the rise, with rather common reports of people buying this laced or “wet” weed and overdosing. It’s also common to find street weed laced with cocaine, PCP or heroin. In a dispensary with state and local regulation and oversight, it’s almost impossible for these things to happen.
With those factors in mind, I agree with the legalization of recreational marijuana. I think if we can bolster both the health and safety of our communities, there isn’t a reason to avoid it. However, with that said, I strongly believe it’s up to each individual to decide if marijuana is safe to consume for themselves.
