Reader: Hypocritical towns ban recreational pot, but pack in brewpubs

Today is October 1, which means that businesses that want to sell recreational marijuana on January 1, 2014, can start applying for their licenses. But not in many municipalities around Colorado, which have put prohibitions on the sale of pot. Meanwhile, Denver's recent craft-beer revolution continues to ripple outward, and...

By Patricia Calhoun

October 1, 2013

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Today is October 1, which means that businesses that want to sell recreational marijuana on January 1, 2014, can start applying for their licenses. But not in many municipalities around Colorado, which have put prohibitions on the sale of pot. Meanwhile, Denver's recent craft-beer revolution continues to ripple outward, and the city's southern suburbs are finding themselves at the forefront of the next wave of breweries.The latest city to land its own taproom is Littleton, where the owners of 38 State Brewing have just signed a lease for a spot at 8071A South Broadway. "Littleton doesn't have anything like what we are trying to do," says 38 State co-owner Brett Blazek.

Littleton may not have recreational pot stores, either, which inspires this response from Harry:

Can't help but note the hypocrisy of Littleton. God forbid we have established retail options for cannabis, but let's pack in as many brew pubs as possible so we can put more drunk drivers on the street. Priorities.

What do you think of towns that allow liquor stores and bars but not the sale of recreational marijuana? Can Colorado support both the craft-beer and cannabis industries?

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Patricia Calhoun is editor-in-chief of Westword, the alt-weekly she co-founded in September 1977. She’s been inducted into the Colorado Press Association Hall of Fame, the Association of Alternative Newsmedia Hall of Fame and the Colorado Restaurant Association Hall of Fame. She’s also received dozens of local, state and national awards for writing, including first place for feature writing and first place for column writing with the Society of Professional Journalists. Patricia is a weekly commentator on Colorado Inside Out, PBS 12's public affairs roundtable, which has won two Emmys.

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