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Six Months After Legalizing Marijuana, Two Big Things Have Happened in Colorado

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Re: Six Months After Legalizing Marijuana, Two Big Things Have Happened in Colorado

#101

Post by steveklabnik »

danielweber wrote: post #15

The linked data shows 19 murders in the first five months of 2013, 11 murders in the same period in 2014. First, this is very noisy data to make any predictions from. (I guess it's a good thing to have so few murders that it's hard to make generalizations.) March 2014 alone had 5 murders compared to three last year. Second, this isn't a 52.9% drop, even if you exclude May, which makes the drop from 17 to 9. It's a 47…

I think that this _may_ miss the point, though I do appreciate the accuracy.

One of the arguments against legalization is that once marijuana is legal, we would see a significant _increase_ in crime.[1] So a __statistically__ insignificant result is not a __politically__ insignificant result.

1: From TFA: ""Expect more crime, more kids using marijuana and pot for sale everywhere," said Douglas County Sheriff David Weaver in 2012."

Re: Six Months After Legalizing Marijuana, Two Big Things Have Happened in Colorado

#102

Post by Nursie »

blocktuw wrote: post #70
rwl wrote: post #8

This sounds like a great outcome, and I support legalization for basically these reasons. More revenue for state governments, less violence, less law-enforcement time wasted on drug offences, and less crowding of prisons with non-violent drug offenders are all good things. But surely there have been downsides, too, even if they're not the ones that fear-mongerers predicted. Can anyone in Colorado speak to what those…

I've been following all the legalization news closely since I live in Denver. The FUD from opponents of legalization are that it will negatively affect children since access will increase. The 'hey mister' won't be only for alcohol anymore but for cannabis too. Many edible products seem to be targeting children with products like gummy bears, hard candies, brownies, sodas, etc. This would increase the likelihood of a…

I do wonder what people think is going to happen to children who accidentally ingest the stuff. AFAICT there's not a lot of danger compared to alcohol.

I absolutely am not suggesting kids should be allowed pot, just that I think the hysteria is overstated.

Re: Six Months After Legalizing Marijuana, Two Big Things Have Happened in Colorado

#103

Post by tedunangst »

jessaustin wrote: post #82
captainarab wrote: post #57

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Disturbing the peace is up over 1000% YoY for all months except May.

The last refuge of scoundrel police, "disturbing the peace" and "disorderly conduct". Who cares?

If the police have become 10 times more scoundrelly after decriminalization, isn't that something other states should consider when passing similar laws?

Re: Six Months After Legalizing Marijuana, Two Big Things Have Happened in Colorado

#104

Post by xienze »

math0ne wrote: post #92
xienze wrote: post #61

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> But on the plus side, you can't overdose on THC Sure, but you can still have a pretty bad time if you take too much and/or are very sensitive. It's known to cause tachycardia in some people, which is not something to be taken lightly.

Yes! The government should regulate to prevent you from a "pretty bad time" good use of everyone's time!

"Pretty bad time" is a euphemism for "could have serious negative health consequences." Yes, people can and do have very negative reactions to marijuana. Been there, done that.

Re: Six Months After Legalizing Marijuana, Two Big Things Have Happened in Colorado

#105

Post by jws »

_archon_ wrote: post #99
jws wrote: post #41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Over half of the overall increase comes from a huge increase in "Disorderly Conduct/Disturbing the Peace" (> 6x), and "Criminal Trespass" (> 3x). Those two categories plus a similar growth buried in "All Other Offenses" accounts for essentially all of the growth in reported crimes. There is probably a story there somewhere.

I agree, and I suspect that it's likely "a cop stops $unsavory_character and wants to charge him with something; as his possession of marijuana is no longer illegal, he must choose something more contrived."

Drug violations are also up slightly and the increase from the three named groups is about double the previous year's drug violations.

Re: Six Months After Legalizing Marijuana, Two Big Things Have Happened in Colorado

#106

Post by bmelton »

derwiki wrote: post #34
transfire wrote: post #16

I worry about what will happen when the next GOP President takes office. Will there be a sudden federal crackdown? If that happens then I think it is inevitable that the US will devolve into a tyranny --just as Plato said, all democracies ultimately do.

Could a new GOP president retroactively charge dispensary customers with illegal possession?

Well, they wouldn't have to retroactively do anything, since marijuana is still a federally controlled substance, and federal law still considers its sale and consumption illegal.

The only thing that stopped the dispensary raids on California dispensaries was discretion. The law hasn't changed substantially enough that what they're doing is still considered kosher to the federal government.

As it stands, the next president, whatever his party, could simply decide to resume those raids, and would be perfectly within their statutory purview to do.

That said, I agree with the assertion that it is a states' rights issue, but SCOTUS precedent extends the power of the Interstate Commerce Clause to include much more than this, so according to current precedent, states rights only exist where the federal government expressly abdicates making a policy decision, which isn't something our federal government is terribly good at doing.

Re: Six Months After Legalizing Marijuana, Two Big Things Have Happened in Colorado

#107

Post by jessaustin »

tedunangst wrote: post #103
jessaustin wrote: post #82

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The last refuge of scoundrel police, "disturbing the peace" and "disorderly conduct". Who cares?

If the police have become 10 times more scoundrelly after decriminalization, isn't that something other states should consider when passing similar laws?

Certainly! Too many bored cops are not a benefit to the community. Drug legalization laws should definitely have police force reduction measures, whether that's a direct population-ratio requirement or just a diminution of funds.

Re: Six Months After Legalizing Marijuana, Two Big Things Have Happened in Colorado

#108

Post by chenelson »

julienchastang wrote: post #88
miles_matthias wrote: post #69

I live in Denver and work in Boulder, and honestly, I haven't noticed any change in people. The murder rate going down is awesome and having the state earn revenue is awesome, but the biggest misconception people have about Colorado right now (thanks to the media) is that it's a wild west of pot smoking lazy people stumbling around and acting up. But really, there's been no change in how people act. The people that h…

Long time Boulder resident here. In regards to change, the homeless/transient situation in downtown Boulder and beyond has gotten completely out of control [1]. I now see transients/homeless where I did not in the past. I am not certain the marijuana laws are the reason for so many transients coming to Boulder, but it could be a contributing factor. [1] http://www.dailycamera.com/News/ci_26064136/Boulder-councilm...

Of course you're seeing transients/homeless where you didn't in the past. The City Council is playing Whac-A-Mole: the police blocked off significant portions of the downtown library green areas and patrol the river. Where do you expect them to go?

Besides, Boulder has been hostile to recreational marijuana. Denver had retail shops open on the 1st of January...it took until March or April for multiple shops to open. I doubt a couple months of legal weed has spiked the population.

Boulder, like San Francisco and Seattle, has always had a significant homeless population. The big change I've seen in Boulder is Conservatism and intolerance. Take Patti Adler, for example.

Re: Six Months After Legalizing Marijuana, Two Big Things Have Happened in Colorado

#109

Post by chenelson »

eob wrote: post #100
chenelson wrote: post #78

Earlier quoted context omitted.

People aren't purchasing freedom, they're purchasing convenience. And this isn't a new product. Also, as prices fall in the legal retail trade, shouldn't we expect more competition with the black market?

Both groups exist. Think of the "buying freedom" bump as the bump that happens when a new restaurant opens. A lot of people buying pot for the first time (or the first time in a long time) probably don't really care about pot that much. Not enough to break the law to buy it. It's just fun to try something new. Replacing "Pot" with "Norwegian Cuisine" is maybe a useful exercise. I'm in the group that doesn't care much…

But that's my point...you're talking about a "few times" and not volume. Sure, some (at least 1) may purchase freedom, but compared to the convenience crowd (think Starbucks), freedom is a rounding error.

BTW, prior to legalization, there were more Medical Marijuana dispensaries in Boulder than coffee shops.

Re: Six Months After Legalizing Marijuana, Two Big Things Have Happened in Colorado

#110

Post by miles_matthias »

miles_matthias wrote: post #69

I live in Denver and work in Boulder, and honestly, I haven't noticed any change in people. The murder rate going down is awesome and having the state earn revenue is awesome, but the biggest misconception people have about Colorado right now (thanks to the media) is that it's a wild west of pot smoking lazy people stumbling around and acting up. But really, there's been no change in how people act. The people that h…

One other difference that a co-worker pointed out is that he's been asked by at least 3 tourists where the nearest weed shop is.

So now tourists ask us where the best places to hike & get weed are.

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