Colorado’s experiment with legalizing marijuana has been going very well. Whether it’s increasing money with no increase in drug-related crime, or passing on tax revenues to schools and higher education, most everyone seems to be happy about how things are going in this brave new world. Sure, you find yourself listening to more reggae than you expected, but think about the kids.
This initial and foundational aspect of marijuana legalization is often overlooked – marijuana arrests in Colorado have plummeted. We’ve seen possession, cultivation and distribution charges for marijuana cumulatively drop over 80%. Thousands of people in the state are no longer facing the immediate or collateral impact of a marijuana arrest. These thousands we speak of are disproportionally young black and brown men who now face one less obstacle of the many they endure in this country. We’ve also seen all drug-related charges drop by 23% on a judicial district level since the passage of amendment 64.
Here’s how the state of Colorado is planning on using the tax revenue:
- School construction
- Marijuana education and prevention
- Bullying prevention grants
- Grants to stem the drop-out rates
- Youth mentoring services
- Money for poison control centers
- Substance abuse screening, intervention, referral, and treatment
- Future Farmers of America and 4-H programs
- Police training for roadside impaired-driving training
So, yes, you may have to listen to your son tell you way too much about Bob’s Burgers and sure, your friend’s cocktail parties may feature more “munchies” than traditional hors d'oeuvres, but think about the kids.