All the naysayers who
were against marijuana legalization are eating crow about now. Colorado’s weed
sales just keep trending up, and with the sales of legal weed, they are
improving their schools and reducing overall crime rates.
Not counting medicinal
weed sales, Colorado sold nearly $19 million in their recreational weed market
in the month of March, and $1.9 million of that goes straight into government
coffers and towards building schools. At this pace, according
to PolicyMic, Colorado will make $30 million this year in pot
taxes alone.
What’s even more
promising is that these numbers are still low estimates, as the recreational
and medicinal marijuana markets (coinciding
just fine, take note Washington) are likely to keep trending
upward. Many say that a figure closer to $60 million in weed tax revenue is a
more likely assumption. Medical marijuana is also not as heavily taxes as
recreational marijuana, and hopefully it will stay that way.
The cherry on top of
this tax-generating cake? Crime rates are also down in Colorado, so while kids
are hopefully going to get a better education, the government (idealistically)
will spend more money improving infrastructure and other business opportunities
for Colorado citizens, and unemployment rates are plummeting. The Colorado
police can take a little rest from their duties.
Crime rates
in Colorado
have dropped by 10.6% while Dunkin Donuts has begun expanding
its brand in the state (really). It looks like a really
good future for people living in Colorado, or any state that legalizes both
medical and recreational marijuana – though it is admittedly too early to tell.
Is it ludicrous to
conclude that perhaps happy, smokers of marijuana have no time for violence and
expend their energy elsewhere? Probably, but it’s looking more and more like a
reality. When you legalize this plant, people have less to be angry about–and
less angry people means less crime.
The only draw-back of
legalization in Colorado? It’s snowing in May. But only Nancy Grace would
attribute that to ganja and not global warming. And whether Nancy and the
haters like it or not, more recreational dispensaries are coming to Denver,
Boulder, and beyond.
According to
Weedmaps, there are currently 97 recreational dispensaries in Colorado,
and that number should hit 100 in the next few weeks – likely climbing higher.
And higher. And higher.
Source:naturalsociety.com
