News

Quotable

/in , , /by

“What we have a tendency to do is think if there’s a Mexican involved in Colorado, they’re cartels…Probably not.”

~ Tim Gorman
Director of the federally funded anti-marijuana police organization
Rocky Mountain High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area.

Read Story »

Headlines

/in , , , , , /by

Hickenlooper on cannabis and autism

Gov. John Hickenlooper talks to Slate about why he vetoed a bill allowing medical cannabis for autism. Hint: He repeats the claim that “certain people (with autism) that have an inclination to bipolar . . . can take this high THC marijuana and it will trigger a permanent response. In other words, make them almost schizophrenic.”

Read More »

 

Cannabis builds new rec center for Aurora

A new $40 million recreation center is being funded entirely by Aurora’s marijuana tax revenue.

More Here »

Legal cannabis credited for rising home values

New research by Economic Inquiry finds that legalizing retail sales of marijuana in Colorado increased housing values by about 6 percent.

Read More »

Marijuana use on the rise, but not with kids

New state report shows cannabis consumption increasing in Colorado, but only among adults.

Read the Story »

More Here »

LEADership

/in , , /by

One of the reasons Colorado has managed to avoid a rise in teen marijuana use post-legalization has to do with aggressive, realistic and age-appropriate education campaigns launched on both the state and local levels. Colorado Public Radio takes a look at one of the efforts, the “Healthy Lifestyles 101” class being offered during summer programs in Denver public schools.

Check out the story »

Quotable

/in , , /by

“Most of the things I feared most, haven’t occurred. We didn’t see a giant spike in teenage consumption. We didn’t see a spike in any consumption. The only place we’ve seen a slow but consistent increase in consumption is among senior citizens.”

– Gov. John Hickenlooper 

Read More »

Surveys, Half Truths & Myths

/in /by

The other side of the story

There’s been a flurry of headlines in recent weeks about a new survey of homeless jail inmates in Colorado who said legal marijuana played a role in their decision to move to Colorado.

Dig a little deeper, however, and the study shows that most of the respondents were here before cannabis was legal. And it found no significant difference in cannabis being a draw for homeless vs. non-homeless transplants. Read Westword Story »

As Gov. John Hickenlooper is quoted as saying, “We’re attracting a lot of people, and when you attract a lot of people you get some homeless people.” Read More »

Speaking of half truths 

That leads us to another of the opposition’s favorite but unsubstantiated claims: that legal marijuana has caused emergency room visits to skyrocket.

Politifact breaks down that one, noting “it is impossible to say that marijuana is the cause of these visits.” Read the Story »

And, debunking one more myth

A new analysis from the civic data analytics site LiveStories finds that while marijuana legalization has led to higher rates of cannabis consumption in Colorado and other states with similar laws, there’s no evidence it’s leading to higher use of more addictive drugs like heroin and cocaine. Read the Westword Story »

Headlines

/in /by

Colorado gets new cannabis coordinator

Gov. John Hickenlooper appoints Dominique Mendiola to replace Mark Bolton as director of marijuana coordination.

Read More »

Educating parents

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment has launched two new marijuana education campaigns aimed at parents.

Read More »

Feds approve CBD drug

The FDA’s approves cannabis-based epilepsy drug, it’s first ever recognition of a medical use for pot.

Read More »

Quotable

/in , /by

“Yes, the critics have been loud in their opposition, twisting countless statistics to back their anti-marijuana messages. The reality, however, is most of their talk is just that: talk. The figures thrown around are often inaccurate or based on data that has no historical basis for comparison.

If you look at the solid data that we do have, it’s quite clear that this grand experiment, both responsibly and methodically implemented here in Colorado, has been a resounding success from both an economic and public policy perspective.”

Chuck Smith, CEO of Dixie Brands, Inc., and president of Colorado Leads.

Read More » 

LEADership

/in , , , /by

There’s no question the cannabis industry is impacting energy use as it goes mainstream. And no one is probably more aware of that than the city of Denver and the growers themselves, who have been working together to improve energy efficiency and lower waste output.

This month, the industry leaders are also throwing a benefit for the Colorado Carbon Fund and pushing for sustainable practices with the first Annual Green Industry Affair, which will include talks and entertainment July 24 at Cervante’s Masterpiece Ballroom.

All ticket and raffle proceeds will benefit the Colorado Carbon Fund.

Read More »

The changing politics of marijuana

/in , , /by

Nothing’s ever certain when it comes to politics, a fact that has become increasingly clear in recent weeks both at home and in Washington, D.C.

Here in Colorado Gov. Joh Hickenlooper, long considered supportive of the strictly-regulated marijuana industry, vetoed three industry-backed measures – including one that allowed for increased capital infusions into the state, which is crucial for keeping the industry growing in the state. It was a disappointing veto that not only jeopardizes tens of thousands of jobs but also ignores the professionals that worked tirelessly during his term to build the safest and most respected cannabis industry in the country.

Representatives from the cannabis industry expressed their discontent with the vetoes at a press conference.  Three Colorado Leads members are quoted here. 

Read the Story »

 

Meanwhile in Washington, D.C., U.S.  Sen.  Cory Gardner, R-Colorado, introduced a bill that would protect the cannabis industry from uncertain federal enforcement policies.

“It’s time that we take this industry out of the shadows,” Gardner said. 

Read the Story »