Reader: Legal Pot Hysteria Is Ruining Colorado!

Brandon Marshall

[
        {
          "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Inline Content - Mobile Display Size",
          "component": "12017618",
          "insertPoint": "2",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "2"
        },{
          "name": "Editor Picks",
          "component": "17242653",
          "insertPoint": "4",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "1"
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "18838239",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Combo - Inline Content",
          "component": "17261320",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "18838239",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Air - Leaderboard Tower - Combo - Inline Content",
          "component": "17261321",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        }
      ]

Commercial cannabis is legal within state lines, but things are different outside of our pot bubble. Two conservative organizations — the Marijuana Accountability Coalition and Smarter Approaches to Marijuana — recently joined forces to burst that bubble, issuing a report card that suggests that cannabis has hurt Colorado. But readers were quick to give the report card itself a failing grade. Says Kevin: 

Marijuana does not make or ruin a state or any environment: The people do. Colorado has some of the best people in the world, and that has nothing to do with weed...or maybe it's this joint that I'm smoking. ...

Replies Mark: 

It ruined the state, but who knew people would pack up and move across the country for legal weed. The tax money should have gone for roads!

Responds Ryan:

 It’s not really ruined it, but it sucks a lot that it’s one of few states with legalized marijuana. I had a dream to move there since I was a young kid visiting my aunt and uncle, and now as an adult after visiting a few times I really don’t want to move out there anymore.

But then there's this from Leon: 

I've been here forty years. The state is exactly the same.

Says Brandon: 

Oh, boy.... these folks don't have an agenda at all. And "Colorado Christian University"... more like Clown College.

But, seriously, they are upset about legal cannabis. We should take that seriously. And express our "thoughts and prayers" to them.

And Matt concludes: 

Legal pot hysteria is ruining Colorado.

Keep reading for more of our coverage.

Jacqueline Collins

"Anti-Pot Group Releases Scathing Report Card on Commercial Cannabis in Colorado"

Westword

"Reader: Marijuana Has Not Devastated Colorado!"

The report card from the Marijuana Accountability Coalition and Smarter Approaches to Marijuana graded Colorado's cannabis industry on eight factors, including youth-use prevention, black-market sales and stoned driving; all eight received an "F" grade. The report card, presented with the Centennial Institute at Colorado Christian University, also dished out failing marks for crime, hospital visits and minority arrests related to pot, as well as out-of-state diversion and illegal pot cultivations on public land.

The Centennial Institute and Colorado Christian University have been very vocal in their opposition to legal cannabis. Institute head Jeff Hunt even penned an op ed for USA Today last August suggesting it had ruined this state.

What do you think of those organizations? What do you think legalizing cannabis has done to/for Colorado? Post a comment, or email your thoughts to [email protected].