Reader: Amendment 64 establishes untaxed, black market marijuana for all

Our post about Governor John Hickenlooper's signing of Amendment 64 turned out to be a fount of conversation. But while Hick's proclamation allowed possession of an ounce or less of marijuana for adults 21 and over, a sales mechanism is not yet in place -- a contradiction noted by one...

By Michael Roberts

December 12, 2012

Audio By Carbonatix

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Our post about Governor John Hickenlooper's signing of Amendment 64 turned out to be a fount of conversation. But while Hick's proclamation allowed possession of an ounce or less of marijuana for adults 21 and over, a sales mechanism is not yet in place -- a contradiction noted by one of our readers.

orbitservice writes:

The problem with this situation is that it is now legal to possess marijuana, but there are no places legally to sell it to you... So you can buy it on the street, but not from a dispensary. Is this what you had intended, Mr. Hickenlooper? Untaxed, black market marijuana for all?

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Michael Roberts began his career with Westword in 1990 as music editor. In 1999, he took on a new role, full-time media reporter, as author of a column called The Message. In 2008, he became the lead writer for Westword's news blog, The Latest Word, a position he held until January 2023. Michael continues to freelance for Westword, covering everything from business to sports and the media; he also contributes to Jazziz, a national music magazine. He holds a bachelor's degree from what is now Colorado Mesa University and master's degrees from the University of California, Los Angeles, and Northwestern University.

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