Researchers at the United States Department of Agriculture’s Forest Services found that illegal marijuana grow operations on federally protected lands fell after states began legalizing it for adult use.
“Outright, national recreational cannabis legalization would be one means by which illegal growing on national forests could be made to disappear,” they found.
So far 323 citizens have taken advantage of Denver’s “Turn Over A New Leaf,” a program that helps erase low-level marijuana convictions. It is estimated that 13,000 people are eligible.
Denver Mayor Michael Hancock promoted the city’s “Turn Over A New Leaf” program, a free service announced last December that’s making it easier for people to remove convictions for activity that is legal today. Hancock said the initiative is an attempt to balance the prosperity some have seen in the marijuana industry with convictions made during marijuana prohibition. Those with juvenile convictions can have it “expunged” while adults’ conviction can be “sealed.” Charges are expected to be taken care of in 48 hours with the city and in about two weeks with the Colorado Bureau of Investigation.
Denver begins clearing residents’ records of low-level marijuana offenses
The Colorado Division of Criminal Justice released a baseline report on the impacts of marijuana legalization Friday. Colorado Leads is working on a summary so you don’t have to read the entire 266-page report. But if you want to, you can find it here.
“We now have that ever-critical baseline from which we can spot trends so Colorado’s leaders understand where our efforts are succeeding and identify areas where we need to focus additional research, resources or even new policy,” said Gov. John Hickenlooper.
As the number of states and countries legalizing marijuana grows, so too does the research into the potential effects on society. The common theme: legal cannabis isn’t contributing to society’s ills. It may even be helping.
One of the biggest concerns – and misconceptions – has been about the dangers of driving under the influence and what opponents contended was a rise in DUIs because of legal adult cannabis use. But a first-ever study from the Colorado Division of Criminal Justice shows the majority of Coloradans suspected of driving under the influence in 2016 had been drinking, but only a small fraction had used marijuana.
Another study set to be published in October found that workplace deaths dropped in states that had legalized cannabis. The researchers analyzed federal Department of Labor statistics, finding that the numbers backed the theory that if people use marijuana as an alternative to alcohol or painkillers, the risk of impairment on the job could be lower.
Since cannabis has been legalized for adult use, critics have tried to tie it to every negative societal change in Colorado. Forget that fact that nearly 2 million new people have moved to the state. Everything is the fault of cannabis.
Some law enforcement agencies have jumped on the bandwagon, alleging repeatedly that legalization is luring dangerous drug cartels to the state. Turns out, according to one of the newspapers that has been fanning the flames of much of that misinformation, there is no data or court cases to prove any of those assertions.
At the same time, a new report throws cold water on claims that the legalization of pot has led to a rise in crime. Researchers at Washington State University say their review of FBI data for Washington and Colorado shows “no negative effects of legalization and, instead, indicate(s) that crime clearance rates for at least some types of crime are increasing faster in states that legalized than in those that did not.”
In other words, the researchers say, their findings seem to support the argument that marijuana legalization frees up police resources to focus on more serious crimes.
~ Tim Gorman
Director of the federally funded anti-marijuana police organization
Rocky Mountain High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area.
Why Colorado needs to legalize cannabis delivery
A veteran who works with many disabled and terminally ill vets explains why he supports efforts to make marijuana delivery legal. And no, it’s not about being able to get pot with your pizza.
Colorado Gazette backpedals on black market report
Earlier this year, the newspaper reported the black market for marijuana had dramatically expanded in Colorado since adult-use was legalized. Its newest report admits that isn’t really true because there isn’t a central, comprehensive data collection mechanism in place to track the black market. As the Department of Public Safety spokeswoman Patricia Billinger said:
“We did not have a definitive measurement of the black market prior to legalization and do not have a definitive measurement today, so at best we can say with certainty that the percent of black market activity in Colorado has gone down.”
Cannabis Tax Money Funding Local Projects
The Denver Parks and Recreation department is receiving four million dollars in funding to get “projects done that would not have been done before,” said Scott Gilmore, Denver’s Executive Director of Parks and Planning.
Education
Responsibility Grows Here,” the new public education effort launched by the state health department this week, will include four targeted campaigns addressing consumers, youth, trusted adults, and pregnant and breastfeeding women.
Jefferson University seeking 100,000 medical marijuana patients.
The Philadelphia-based Thomas Jefferson University is working to build the world’s largest database of medical cannabis users to provide evidence-based resources for patients and caregivers.
For the record
The Motley Fool compiles “7 Jaw-Dropping Marijuana Statistics You Have to See to Believe.”
Denver Police Commander James Henning
Why Colorado’s governor won’t rule out banning pot again. Read the Story »