by admin | Jul 4, 2014 | Blog
It’s now been six months since Colorado enacted its historic marijuana legalization policy, and two big things have already happened: 1. Colorado’s cash crop is turning out to be even more profitable than the state could have hoped. In March alone, taxed and legal recreational marijuana sales generated nearly $19 million, up from $14 million in February. The state has garnered more than $10 million in taxes from retail sales in the first four months — money that will go to public schools and infrastructure, as well as for youth educational campaigns about substance use. According to his latest budget proposal, Gov. John Hickenlooper expects a healthy $1 billion in marijuana sales over the next fiscal year. That’s nearly $134 million in tax revenue. Sales from recreational shops are expected to hit $600 million, which is a more than 50% increase over what was originally expected. 2. Denver crime rates have suddenly fallen. Marijuana-related arrests, which make up 50% of all drug-related crimes, have plummeted in Colorado, freeing up law enforcement to focus on other criminal activity. By removing marijuana penalties, the state saved somewhere between $12 million and $40 million in 2012, according to the Colorado Center on Law and Policy. According to government data, the Denver city- and county-wide murder rate has dropped 52.9% since recreational marijuana use was legalized in January. This is compared to the same period last year, a time frame encompassing Jan. 1 through April 30. Click here to read the rest of the... read more
by admin | Dec 9, 2013 | Blog
As business owners around the city gear up for the holidays, one store at the corner of Eglinton Ave. and Avenue Rd. is spreading some dubious holiday cheer. The Dragon, a store that specializes in hemp products and cannabis paraphernalia has a large sign wishing customers a “Happy Chronikah!” To the uninitiated, that’s a mix of “Hanukkah,” the Jewish festival of lights and “Chronic,” a popular slang term for marijuana. Impressive as the pun may be, the sign is raising a few eyebrows. George S., a salesperson at The Dragon, says the “vast majority” of the feedback he’s been getting from the locals has been positive. He says that in the two weeks since the sign was put up, the store has only had one complaint. “We know we’re in a progressive neighbourhood where (residents) can handle this kind of sign,” he says. While he appreciates that some older residents may not enjoy the pun, the average Dragon customer is in their mid-thirties, he says, and generally pretty laid back. View the full article... read more
by admin | Aug 18, 2013 | Blog
Uruguay’s decision to legalise the production, sale and consumption of marijuana violates international law, the UN drugs watchdog says. The International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) warned that the move would endanger young people and “contribute to the earlier onset of addiction”. The new law will allow registered Uruguayans over 18 to buy up to 40g (1.4oz) of the drug a month. The government hopes it will help tackle drug cartels. Read... read more
by admin | Jul 7, 2013 | Blog
Marijuana is a plant containing a psychoactive chemical, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), in its leaves, buds and flowers. Marijuana is the most commonly used illicit drug, with forty-two percent of American adults reporting that they have used it. Despite the fact that marijuana’s effects are less harmful than those of most other drugs, including alcohol and tobacco, it is the most common drug that people are arrested for possessing. U.S. marijuana policy is unique among American criminal laws in being enforced so widely and harshly, yet deemed unnecessary by such a substantial portion of the population. Click here to... read more
