Colorado’s ganja legalization applauded
(CNS): An independent report into the way Colorado implemented the legalization of ganja has lauded the State’s efforts. Acknowledging a number of issues that local officials will need to address, from the way edible marijuana is sold to its cultivation, the study by John Hudak, from the Brookings Institution, examines the administrative elements of the legislative change rather than passing judgment on the rights and wrongs or moral position on lifting the prohibition. Noting that it is too early to judge the success of the policy, Hudak says that it is not too early to say that the implementation of legal retail marijuana has been largely successful.
The report comes as more US states are pondering the legalization of recreational as well as medical ganja use and as the western world slowly begins to re-think its failed war on all drugs. Jamaica is currently assessing its position and lining itself up to benefit not just from the direct financial revenue but the management of finances associated with what is expected to become a major industry in the future.
Meanwhile, here in Cayman as legislators continue to back a zero tolerance policy and refuse to even openly discuss the matter, the criminalization of people for possession of miniscule quantities and even consumption continues.
The new report from the think tank which revues government policy demonstrates that Colorado achieved a complete cultural turnaround, even in the face of federal opposition, and indicates a number of elements that have led to the legalization rollout’s success.
“The state has met challenging statutory and constitutional deadlines for the construction and launch of a legal, regulatory, and tax apparatus for its new policy,” Hudak writes in the independent academic paper. “In doing so, it has made intelligent decisions about regulatory needs, the structure of distribution, prevention of illegal diversion, and other vital aspects of its new market. It has made those decisions in concert with a wide variety of stakeholders in the state.”
The report praises the innovation, professionalism, competence, leadership, and execution of the legalization and said that the broad success of the state in putting into effect a policy that had no true precedent was a difficult task. While he notes shortcomings and challenges which cannot be overlooked, the report finds that the state government has met the most basic standard of success.
“It has done what Amendment 64 instructed it to do. Colorado has effectively created regulatory and administrative apparatuses that facilitate the legal retail marijuana market,” said Hudak.
“Through a series of legislative, executive, and administrative actions, the state has allowed product to come to market; ensured that monitoring and enforcement processes were in place and functioning; collected revenue from marijuana sales; and sought to build, maintain, and improve the ability of the state to continue to regulate the market effectively,” he added
Commending the leadership at the state level for the success, the government policy expert said that not everything is perfect but a “strong launch, built on a capable and flexible administrative infrastructure, gives Colorado a leg up as events unfold,” Hudak wrote.
Colorado earned over $6 million from ganja sales in just the first two months of the change in the law and the report reveals that the revenue collection has also been well-managed, with money going to fund important projects such as building schools, substance abuse treatment, public-health education campaigns, and law-enforcement training, as well as the actual enforcement of the new laws.
See full report here.
Category: World News
Blimey, that's the longest ganga smoke I've ever seen. (Is he using some kind of cigarette holder?) And he appears to have back up cradled around his neck. I'll tell you what, if he gets to the end of it he'll be the most laid back dude in the world for sure. Peace, brother.
I'm confused, wasn't it the canabis oil that helped people with reversing cancer? Wasn't it administered by needle through the blood system? It didn't mention smoking a joint.
everybody is missing the point.
y'all try google "Department of Revenue:Colorado Marijuana Tax Data"
You're missing the point. Google "addiction and family crisis"
Family crisis due to debt situation by way of cost of living, created by a wasteful government. These people can't even collect the garbage, yet dispose of it properly, because "dey na ga no money, and di equiptment down."
Then on the other hand, the same ones crying "addiction and family crisis" are the ones you see at the high end bars, drinking alcohol, which is legal of course, and has caused far more family TRADEGY than anything else on this island. Hypocrisy.
Alcohol prohibition in the US has created the mafia.
Prohibition of weed does the same thing.
People will get what they want, whether it is legal or not.
The job of governments is to inform and not to forbid.
The problem most of the times are the religious freaks that think they should set the rules based on their feeling of being superior.
Wow. You seem pretty off base. But let's let all of that go and just answer me this:
the govt. has informed me not to key your car. Shall they just back off now?
Not a single interesting comment so far.
Just a bunch of religious fanatics against free minded spirits.
Very boring.
Take the religion out and have a factual conversation.
Thank you.
NO NO NO, keep religion in.
Who made marijuana?
GOD.
God did not create cocaine (man processes the cocoa plant to make cocain)
God did not make LSD, opium (must be processed by man again) heroine, extasy, even alcohol.
Yet God most defintely made Ganja.
So…if God put it on the earth. Does it not say he put allplants and animals on earth for man to use.
End of story, you religious zealots.
Legalize Ganja.
Opium is not processed, it is entirely natural.
Hemlock and maiden plum aren't processed. Not sure if dog poo would be considered processed. Hmmmm
By the way zealot, just cuz you say 'end of story' doesn't mean it's he end of the story. Just sayin'
Personal decisions are personal. If you choose to be a lazy bum, pervert or addict. It is a reflection of your character and values in life. I would suggest holding a medz and rethinking your life goals and what you want to accomplish in life rather than blame it on a material matter when truly, your mind and the morals you have choosen to raise higher than life, people and love.
Please people, we simply need to stop judging and see it how it is.
By keep anything illegal it makes it impossible to control much less monitor. Obviously there is a reason why drugs are getting into countries, think Caymans police at sea are that bad at their job? Think there isn't corruption with our Governement? Obviously, keeping it illegal keeps the price high, so who ever is in charge is making big bucks and fast. If it was legalized, a 'drug dealer' would not exist because everyone would be getting it from a close friend or growing it them self. No drug dealer invovled means no support for criminals to get income for guns or violent crimes.
It is up to every single human to do research on to what they consume. Straight from water to drugs. Why don't we talk about the massive harm all the GMO products have? How cancer on a small island is increasing? How almost almost every single product you find in 90% of the supermarkets on island have artifical coloring, artifical flavoring, fake sugar and perservities.
I don't see cayman legalizing it because those in power are happy making extra bucks off the books.
Let us not even start on how HEMP would give power back to the people…
what goint to hapen
when young people do not have money to pay for marijuana
Everyone is entitled to their opinion. Fact is marijuana is a safer and cheaper alternative to many medications used today. I was prescribed marijuana by a doctor in the US for a debilitating medical condition. It was either ganja or another pharmaceutical drug thats caused seizures, hormone imbalances and a high possibility of stroke. I am a young Caymanian male who has worked for the CI government for over 5 years and I run my own business. So the excuse that it causes a lack of ambition is total bs. I have to basically smuggle my prescription pills into Cayman for fear of being unjustly persecuted. I will continue to do so as my health is more important than some archaic law. I will not be forced to take a medicine that has the potential to cause a stroke.
Too much of anything is not good. So too much of marajuana will cause loss of ambition just like too much of anything else you get addicted to .
you can abuse anything! Look at one of Caymans biggest problems, obesity! I'm sure us abusing cheeseburgers and other junk food is even more dangerous to our health than consuming a natural substance such as ganja.
Yessir! And smoking the dope should help quell the cravings for those cheeseburgers.
Of course you give 100% to your govt job ( that I pay for) and run your own business after ours only.
legal or not
obviously government doesn´t need my money and forces me to support drug cartels
Close but…… it's your addiction or fear of facing life head on that has you donating money to the murderous cartels. Carry on, just remember, the choice is always yours.
who writes this bs at 02.43 in the morning? Obviously no job to go to…
some of us work at different hours, you moron.
not everybody works a 9 to 5 and gets to make comments on the internet all day! sheesh, you people are small minded.
Really? What are your work hours?
Yes really. We work in the service industry. Do you even know what the service industry is?
Wow. Just wow. You sound like a very articulate addict. Carry on son. We're listening. Zzzz
Er, did you just call me a sheep? Blah blah Blake, big word, defens mechanism, blah blah, anger, crushed, yawn…….
BTW I called you an addict to help you cuz I love you.
And the award for learning to cut and paste while stoned goes to . . .
You can't smoke regular cigs in a restaurant due to the risk of cancer etc., and the packages of cigs these days have words like "smoking kills" on the side. (So how long do you think it will take the pot producers to start adding "fillers"???)
Drinking and driving has proven to be a killer.
Rehab and suicide are both on the rise.
But HEY!!! lets legalize pot! The same pot which has been proven to cause accidents, hallucinations, depression and more lazy people to beg Government for handouts.
Pot is STUPID!!
Agreed
19:01, having read your argument it appears that you are in fact stupid.
You realize that the reasons you have provided are due to an increase in the world's population right?
Nope. Intoxicants are stupid.
you need to educate yourself on Cannabis. I personally know people who have cured their Cancer with Cannabis oil. When the doctors told them there was nothing else that could be done. Because people have been told for years that marijuana is bad they beleive it. It is proven it has the most health benefits. Man made meds are legal and the damage it does it awful but natural plant that cures wont be legalized becaue of all the money that would be lost in pharmaceutical sales. Money is moe imporant than health So please keep your comment until you do some research.
And I bet I know 10 people that have ruined their family life to every one that supposedly cured their cancer with this intoxicant. Educate indeed.
And I bet If cannabis didn't exist these 10 people would have found another substance to get addicted to. Personality over-rides all, and once again I preach, everything in moderation!
their lives ruined from castigation of a small-minded society, you mean.
alcohol is 1000 times worse …worce …worsce…
booze is just BAD !!! alcohol is bad..akayyy
mj is good …okayyy
Okay flipper, whatever you say. Okay flipper, whatever you say
Maybe he was trying to say dat he like to eat Bratwurst after a good smoke.
CAYMAN NEED TO GROW UP AND STOP INCARCERATING PEOPLE UP TO TWO YEARS IN PRISON FOR A PARCEL OF WEED.
How is it in the UK they are merely fining people caught? And if you do it in the comfort of your own home or on your property, how is this wrong?
IF WE MAKE CAYMAN LIKE COLORADO, OUR TOURISM WILL DEFINITELY INCREASE.
OUR MLAS ARE NOT THINKING!
I'll tell you one way it's wrong. You sit around in the privacy of your home getting high and ignoring your kids and they annoy me/ rob me for some attention then that's one way it's wrong. Why do you want to get high? Face it!
Dahhh… who is not doing that now?!
Yeah. I think I don't understand what you are trying to say.
Look at the guy in the picture. He looks exactly like who I want to hire, marry or reproduce with!
NOT!!!
16:10, well done, you undestand that you have the choice to use ganja or not use it,jst like you have the choice to marry a murderer.
Fact remains whether medicinally helpful or not it is addictive. Even doctors are screening patients for addictive prescriptions. It is not something to be supported by the medical field despite it's "healing" properties.
Cannabis does not create physical addiction.
And a stoned out parent may not cause their children physical pain. What's your point?
and opiates are? over 5 million Americans are addicted to pain killers in the US, happily proscribed by the medical profession. Drugs that have a long record if physical and medical addiction. I guess it only matters what the doctors are paid to proscibe to people.
What a crock…. people with addictive personalities all have their vices… do you want to ban buying shoes, getting tattoos, smoking cigarettes, drinking alcohol too?? And your comment about it being 'medicinally helpful or not' is completely asanine.. have you done any research on its benefits???
I would like to know how many of these ganja users have successfully obtained an education and are currently holding good positions in the workforce (no, drug dealing does not count as a job). Have users been able to keep the same job for years? I don't really know any users who fit into this criteria, do you? Trust me, this is not good for any society.
I know alot. I am one. I managed to obtain 2 degrees, one of which is in Law, whilst using ganja. I also have a caeer and have been promoted numerous times.
To 14:32 and anyone else. God's blessed creation was not intended to be used this way. God never imagined his people to roll up spliffs! Man has created their own inventions the Bible says. No wonder why the wickedness of man made God send a flood. Want to smoke something then try a maiden plum or touch me not- they are God's creations too!
I thought God was all powerful and in fallible, so now you are saying he is not. It appears the bible is very clear on other "Man inventions" such as eating and drinking too much alcohol, even on money-lending (usury), which are all happily ignored in Christian Cayman.
I live by the sea. Therefore: “Puff, the magic dragon lived by the sea
And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called Honah Lee,
Little Jackie paper loved that rascal puff…”
While it may be too early to evaluate the effect in Colorado, we have well researched and long-term evaluated (12+ years) data from Portugal, on the decriminalization of all drugs.
Yes, it works much better and is much cheaper, than the failed and discredited "war on drugs". It may still be morally or ideologically offensive to some, but science does not care about that.
i am hoping that the government (and I hope all future governments) will never bow to the "inspiring writings" of any one and will never copy any state/ country or tribe in legalising marijuana. We do not need it here and some of us are prepared to fight this all the way. No matter how it is written, twisted and recycled. Remember the crowds who protested the planned marina in East End? Well you haven't seen anything yet. For those of you who want- go ahead- go to Colorado and smoke yourselves silly, or sillier I guess I should say. There are more of us against this than for it so bring it on!!
Whew! You could use a J! Wow, talk about "up-tight"!!!
09.52-gang bully mentality-I am not now and never will be a user, but I understand if you make this state controlled the chances to control and protect the innocent and heavily punish those who choose to remain out of the system is a win win situation. Not to mention legal revenues, death of the illegal trade and need for guns…
Best comment I have read thus far! Someone with a brain who sees the BIGGER picture.
and you should have a say in what someelse puts into their body? what gives you the right to dictate to other people? if you are that way einclined lets ban fast food, as obesity costs the country millions and as does alcohol. Ban it all
Lame, un-supportable argument.
Here, have a puff and chill, bra.
The Cayman Islands would really love to hear your facts.
Trying to fight against God’s blessed creation?…..go ahead,join up with satan’s supporters and protest the works of the Most High,telling you from now,you are going to loose!!
God's blessed creation was not intended to be used this way. God never imagined his people to roll up spliffs! Man has created their own inventions the Bible says. No wonder why the wickedness of man made God send a flood. Want to smoke something then try a maiden plum or touch me not- they are God's creations too!
One of mans worst inventions was religion and their different interpretations of it, the basis of most if not all war on Earth.
Ummm…man's depraved nature is the cause of all war on earth, but sometimes he uses relgiion as cloak or excuse. Take away religion and wars will still not cease.
09:52, "will never bow down to inspiring writings"?
Doesn't that describe the Bible? Isn't that how the white man conquered the West and brainwashed the Slaves,by using the Bible?
People have to make a choice with all things in life, so it make no real difference whether it is legal or illegal, people will still choose to use it you donkey.
And you refer to Government not bowing down? Had a certain candidate been eleacted lst time round we would have a crackhead representing us.
Facts speak louder than words.
You sound angry. Are you angry?
Not angry at all, just baffled by people's stupidity in putting forth arguments that make no sense whatsoever and using a made up story as their basis of fact.
People ot there continue to follow the blind, and when medical fact is put in front of them they still believe they are right.
Stone Age mentality.
…..oh
The Bible is not to blame for European imperialism and racism.
CNS, thank you for stepping on very sensitive subject that the Cayman Islands have long been uneducated on. If people would just take a few minutes each day to do their own unbiased research and educate themselves on this bit of nature it would tremendously change the way people view what has been painted into our minds from a very young age….keep bringing on these kind of articles CNS!!!
Exactly! People are IGNORANT and they seem to have no problem remaining as such!
Dat dude is what Cayman needs. About 5000 like him.
Really now…..
Can't be any worst than someone who doesn't use and still spells that as 'dat' . That was your point right?!
How do you know the person wasn't being 'sarcastic'? Huh?
You obviously understood the comment so why be an a$$ and try make them feel incompetent?
I’m Dat Dude who wrote – and, yes, I always leave a weak link to see what the lowest common denominator is in an argument.
Obviously using the word “Dat” was of more significance to some than the confirmed fact that SMOKING ganja rots the brain cells…
Don’t believe me? just drive through Mt Pleasant day or night.
“Feel no way bbrudda. Sponsor me a brew.”
Coming from someone who says "worst" instead or the proper word "worse"
WORSE spelled worst annoys me more than that spelled dat.
Then I'm guessing you get annoyed here on a regular basis. It's like there was a flawed English teacher here a long time ago….
Dear grammar policeman. Worst is not the same as worse.
Yeah. We need about 5000 of home bringing up the next generation
I wonder what the facts and figures are, on the number of anti-depressants prescribed in Cayman?
At least there is medication for depression, how the hell do you propose we deal with all the sick PERVERTS who prey on our children, yes Caymanian men are guilty of this for decades now. SICK!
The sickos can thumbs down and troll away, I standing up for ALL children on these Cayman Islands!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Let's start by uncovering what DIRT has been shoved under the rug for over 40 years now CAYMAN!
I guess we will never know how many depressed people are in Cayman. Howveer depressed persons hopefully will go get help which is not always just taking pills, but mainly getting to the root of the reason why they are depresssed and dealing with the isssues. You seem to be suggesting that smoking marijuna instead of legal medication should be done.Too much prescription medication as well as illegal drugs (marijuana) is harmful. As I said before identifying the problem (s) that causes depression and getting help from qualified doctors is what is needed and not smoking pot. Please- concerned citizens who are out there trying to raise decent, dependable children and grand children- do not condone this and let us fight this all the way. I also wish that the newspapers on this island will try to find something positive to write about instead of the Agenda of legalising marijuna
oh yes, the existing method of dealing with stress through alcohol and spousal and child beating is working well and an excellect example of our future generations to follow
Thank you Anon! WELL SAID!
Riiiiiight. So let's try adding another intoxicant to the mix.
and alcohol consumation per capita
Brilliant! We should legalize weed so we have as many stoned out people as we have alcoholics? Yeah, that's it. Then we could compare the slight differences in the way their families were ruined. Like I said: Brilliant!
What's your point Cheech?