Pubdate: Tue, 01 Jan 2013
Source: Billings Gazette, The (MT)
Copyright: 2013 The Billings Gazette
Contact: http://billingsgazette.com/app/contact/?contact=letter
Website: http://www.billingsgazette.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2933
Author: Megan Cassidy, Casper Star-Tribune

COLORADO'S POT LAW: OFFICIALS EXPECT MORE USE, TRAFFIC, POSITIVE
TESTS IN WYOMING

CASPER, Wyo. - Access to marijuana has never been easier for
Wyomingites with transportation. Any point in the state is no more
than 180 miles from either Montana, where medicinal marijuana is
permitted; or Colorado, where recreational usage is now legal.

In late 2012, Colorado and Washington became the first states in the
nation to not only decriminalize but allow adults over 21 to possess
an ounce or less.

Under the current Wyoming state law, anyone arrested for possessing up
to an ounce of the drug could face up to a year in jail or up to a
$1,000 fine. No immunity is offered for those who purchased or
received a prescription from out of state.

Lt. Mike Thompson of the Casper Police Department said he's relatively
certain Colorado's new law will boost the cannabis flow through Wyoming.

"The availability for people to purchase the drug and bring it up here
is greater," he said.

Thompson said Casper officials regularly arrest people with possession
of medical marijuana. In most cases, it was purchased by someone else
and sold to the end user.

"Even if it's prescribed to them, it's still illegal in Wyoming," he
said. "We've had a few people who were surprised by that."

Tom Gorman, director of the Rocky Mountain High Intensity Drug
Trafficking Area program, agrees that Colorado's laws will likely
increase the diversion of marijuana to Wyoming. Because it will be
more readily available, he predicts subsequent trends will be soon to
follow.

He said the price of pot will likely drop, making it more affordable
for potential users. He additionally expects to see the public
perception of risk fall along with the prices.

"With Wyoming being a neighboring state, I would suspect you'll see an
increase in marijuana use," he said.

Casper Defense Attorney Jakob Norman doesn't necessarily foresee more
arrests in the area, but he predicts that more people traveling to
Colorado to smoke will result in more indirect consequences.

"With so many Wyomingites traveling to Colorado, I think we'll see an
increase in people getting in trouble for testing hot," he said. This
could affect those who are on probation or who have employers who
regularly impose drug tests.

"Those rules don't change," he said.

Despite its proximity to tolerance, Wyoming's laws stand unflinching
with nary the suggestion of legislative change. The Wyoming
Legislature failed to discuss any reformations this year - for medical
marijuana or otherwise - in 2012.

Rep. Tim Stubson, R-Casper, said no legislations are slated to be
brought forth in the upcoming session either.

"There have been some conversations, generally about how they deal
with marijuana coming over the state line," he said.

Casper City Councilman Keith Goodenough has been unsuccessfully
pushing for marijuana reform for years. He said despite public support
- - a 2002 poll showed that 65 percent of Wyoming citizens are in favor
of allowing medicinal marijuana - he doubts state laws will change
much in the upcoming years.

"The law-and-order angle trumps a lot of it. Conservatives are
generally very supportive of passing laws enforcing crime," he said.
"Wyoming has always been a conservative place, and existing
institutions don't change very quickly." 
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