Top Colorado elected officials attended an event on Tuesday to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the state\u2019s move to legalize adult-use marijuana. That includes key political figures who previously opposed the reform, one of whom is now a U.S. senator and previewed new cannabis legislation he will soon be filing in Congress.<\/p>\n
In November 2012, voters in Colorado and Washington State approved first-of-their-kind initiatives to legalize cannabis for adults\u2014and those state-level experiments have been widely cited as evidence that regulating cannabis sales has turned out to be sound socioeconomic and public health policy. As such, a growing number of other states have continued to follow with each passing election cycle.<\/p>\n
At Tuesday\u2019s event in Colorado, advocates, industry operators and officials like Gov. Jared Polis (D) marked the decade anniversary, albeit a few weeks early. A theme that threaded the speeches was that the state\u2019s experience has proved that prohibitionist concerns about issues like youth consumption and public safety have not come to fruition 10 years later.<\/p>\n
Polis was also presented with a giant mock check for $2.2 billion to symbolize the amount of adult-use cannabis tax and fee revenue the state has collected<\/a> since legal sales began.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a milestone for Colorado, the country, the world,\u201d Polis said. \u201cColorado\u2019s positive experience shows that not only did people\u2019s worst concerns never materialize, but charted a new way forward in a positive way for reducing underage use, driving drug dealers out of business, making our communities safer, empowering people to have the freedom to make the choices they want to make, to treat themselves for medical conditions.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe launch of the market really proved that we can end prohibition and replace it with a sensible system that regulates marijuana like alcohol, and where medical patients have a safe and legal way to access cannabis,\u201d he said. \u201cIt also allowed us to step away from the unjust, arcane punishments of the past.\u201d<\/p>\n Some of those now cheering the policy reform were vocal opponents of the legalization initiative in the lead-up to the vote. That includes U.S. Sen. John Hickenlooper (D-CO) and Denver Mayor Michael Hancock (D), who both also appeared at Tuesday\u2019s event.<\/p>\n Hancock and Hickenlooper, who at the time was Colorado\u2019s governor, unsuccessfully attempted to convince voters to oppose Amendment 64 at the ballot in 2012. But after the reform was approved and implemented, they recognized that the sky did not fall in Colorado and they\u2019ve each touted the benefits of legalization as it relates to the economy, racial justice and more.<\/p>\n 10 years ago, Colorado became the first state to legalize marijuana \u2013 and the rest is history!<\/p>\n Joined @GovofCO<\/a>, @MayorHancock<\/a>, and others to celebrate the incredible work that has made our legal cannabis industry a success. pic.twitter.com\/9hddQ2Cxba<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Senator John Hickenlooper (@SenatorHick) October 13, 2022<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n Hickenlooper said even after the vote that the policy was \u201creckless,\u201d and he made an infamous quip on election night admonishing cannabis consumer not to \u201cbreak out the Cheetos or gold fish too quickly.\u201d<\/p>\n With time, however, the governor-turned-senator has become an ally in the movement to end federal marijuana prohibition and has recognized that his prior concerns were unfounded.<\/p>\n He reiterated that point on Tuesday and called for federal descheduling to \u201clegalize marijuana in America.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI did oppose Amendment 64 based on the concerns about youth use and health impacts,\u201d the senator acknowledged. But with 10 years of experience, he said he\u2019s able to confidently go into the U.S. Senate and tell colleagues that \u201csince we\u2019ve legalized marijuana, there has been no increase in teenage experimentation, no increase in consumption, no increase in driving while high,\u201d while touting \u201call the myriad benefits\u201d of reform.<\/p>\n The senator also said that he will soon be introducing legislation to create a federal task force to explore national rules for a regulated cannabis market once marijuana prohibition ends.<\/p>\n The bill will would bring \u201cgovernment agencies, industry stakeholders, federal law enforcement, and communities most impacted by a legal cannabis marketplace together as part of that process,\u201d a spokesperson for Hickenlooper\u2019s office told Marijuana Moment.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are constantly trying to figure out what is the best system how can we improve this system\u201d at the state level, the senator said. \u201cAnd we\u2019re at a point now where I think it is time for the federal government to step up to the big boy table and make that move.\u201d<\/p>\n He added that congressional lawmakers will be working \u201cvery hard\u201d to pass bipartisan cannabis banking reform legislation during the lame duck session. \u201cIt\u2019s got a decent shot,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Hickenlooper also addressed President Joe Biden\u2019s recent move<\/a> to issue mass pardons for people who\u2019ve committed federal marijuana possession offenses and direct a review into cannabis scheduling.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is him opening the door and saying, \u2018we\u2019re gonna start moving down this process, this pathway and we\u2019re gonna move forward. It\u2019s our intention,’\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cWe really did lead the way in marijuana legalization,\u201d the senator separately said at an event organized by a cannabis industry association<\/a> earlier this year. \u201cI didn\u2019t want Colorado to be the experiment\u2014the Petri dish\u2014for one of the great social experiments of the century so far. And we legalized it even though I opposed it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI think we\u2019ve proven and demonstrated that there is no increase in experimentation among teenagers. There is no change in frequency of use, no change in driving while high\u2014all the things we most worried about didn\u2019t come to pass,\u201d Hickenlooper said at the time.<\/p>\n While youth use not increased, the senator has repeatedly noted that more elderly residents have been patronizing cannabis shops<\/a>.<\/p>\n Mason Tvert, a partner at VS Strategies who co-directed the Yes on 64 campaign, acknowledged at Tuesday\u2019s event that Hickenlooper \u201chad his concerns about legalization, and we did not always see eye to eye on those concerns.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTo his credit, he not only respected the decision of the voters, but also defended it,\u201d Tvert said. \u201cHe stood up for Colorado in the face of potential federal interference, and he is now a leading voice in support of federal cannabis policy reform.\u201d<\/p>\n Hickenlooper teased Tvert about the attacks he faced for opposing the legalization initiative, and he jokingly said that, after all of this time, \u201cI forgive you.\u201d<\/p>\n The senator isn\u2019t the only Colorado cannabis convert. Denver\u2019s mayor has similarly embraced the reform after advocating against Amendment 64, which set off a wave of state reforms that is expected to expand again following the midterm elections next month.<\/p>\n Hancock was a vociferous opponent<\/a> of the legalization initiative, calling marijuana a \u201cgateway drug\u201d and saying that the reform would send the wrong message to young people. He said that he didn\u2019t want Colorado to lead in the legalization experiment and expressed concerns about negative impacts to the tourism sector.<\/p>\n But in more recent years, he\u2019s taken a liking to the cannabis industry. He said that legalization was \u201cworking\u201d in 2018<\/a>, citing data on job creation and tax revenue from regulated marijuana sales.<\/p>\n At the event on Tuesday, Hancock again said that his fears about legalization did not materialize and he now believes cannabis should be regulated in a manner similar to alcohol.<\/p>\n Joined with @GovofCO<\/a>, @SenatorHick<\/a>, @VScannabislaw<\/a> and others last night to mark 10 years since voters passed Amendment 64. Denver’s leadership and work on regulating the once-budding marijuana market, and ensuring equity and opportunity in the industry, remains the standard. pic.twitter.com\/YijuLH9azD<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Michael B. Hancock (@MayorHancock) October 12, 2022<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n He joked that he was \u201cproud to be here at the loser\u2019s rally of Amendment 64,\u201d and said he appreciated how advocates \u201cwaited for 10 years to bring us all back up and say, \u2018now, take that foot out your mouth.’\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m a convert today. I was wrong 10 years ago,\u201d he said. \u201cYou can do this right. You can do it responsibly.\u201d<\/p>\n He also called for federal reform to legalize cannabis, allow the industry to access traditional financial services and expunge prior marijuana convictions.<\/p>\n \u201cThanks to decades of deeply ingrained anti-cannabis policies and propaganda, many elected officials had concerns about legalizing and regulating cannabis for adult use,\u201d Tvert said in a press release.<\/p>\n \u201cTo their credit, Sen. Hickenlooper and Mayor Hancock respected the voters and fulfilled their duties to implement Amendment 64, navigating unknown policy and political territory under the constant threat of federal interference,\u201d he said. \u201cTheir positions on cannabis have evolved significantly since 2012, and they are now working to advance further reform and to repair the damage caused by prohibition.\u201d<\/p>\n Polis, for his part, had already been an established supporter of cannabis reform as a congressman in 2012. But while he did not join Hickenlooper and Hancock in opposing Amendment 64, he nonetheless disappointed advocates by remaining neutral on the ballot initiative ahead of Election Day.<\/p>\n He\u2019s since become a fixture of the movement, embracing cannabis culture<\/a>, enacting legislation to expand on the voter-approved reform<\/a>, taking executive action to provide relief to victims of the drug war<\/a> and pushing for further congressional action.<\/p>\n Just this week, the governor led a letter to leaders in Congress, imploring them to pass a bipartisan marijuana banking bill<\/a> with what\u2019s left of the session.<\/p>\n In a stance that somewhat echoes his disposition ahead of the Colorado marijuana vote a decade earlier, the governor has so far stayed neutral on an initiative on the state\u2019s ballot this year that would legalize certain psychedelics even though he has backed the general concept of removing criminal penalties for the substances<\/a>.<\/p>\n These States Are Voting On Marijuana And Psychedelics Legalization On Their November Ballots<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n Photo courtesy of Mike Latimer.<\/em><\/p>\n The post Colorado Officials Celebrate 10-Year Marijuana Legalization Anniversary, Including Politicians Who Initially Campaigned Against It<\/a> appeared first on Marijuana Moment<\/a>.<\/p>\n
Top Colorado elected officials attended an event on Tuesday to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the state\u2019s move to legalize adult-use marijuana. That includes key political figures who previously opposed the reform, one of whom is now a U.S. senator and previewed new cannabis legislation he will soon be filingContinue Reading<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":458,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"false","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[18,81],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/57424"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/458"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=57424"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/57424\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":57425,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/57424\/revisions\/57425"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=57424"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=57424"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=57424"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}\n
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\nRead More: Colorado Officials Celebrate 10-Year Marijuana Legalization Anniversary, Including Politicians Who Initially Campaigned Against It<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"