Pubdate: Sat, 11 May 2013
Source: Steamboat Today, The (CO)
Copyright: 2013 The Steamboat Pilot & Today
Contact: http://www.steamboattoday.com/submit/letters/
Website: http://www.steamboattoday.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1549

POT LAWS ARE A STEP FORWARD

Just in the nick of time last week, Colorado lawmakers came together 
to pass legislation establishing the regulatory framework for retail 
marijuana business in the state. While much remains in the air - 
including, for example, whether Colorado voters will approve this 
fall marijuana excise and sales taxes that will raise money for 
school construction and pot industry oversight, respectively - there 
are some fundamental positives about the bills approved Wednesday.

Significantly for Steamboat Springs, Routt County and other 
municipalities, the laws provide at least a regulatory foundation on 
which they can build. Last November's passage of Amendment 64 very 
clearly legalized the possession and use of small amounts of cannabis 
for adults 21 and older, but the constitutional amendment left it up 
to the state to work out regulations for the operation of 
recreational marijuana businesses. The state was up against a July 1 
deadline to create such regulations.

The uncertainties created angst for cities like Steamboat, where the 
most common approach has been of the let's-wait-and-see variety, 
keeping one eye on the state Legislature and the other on the federal 
government and its Justice Department, which still hasn't taken a 
public position on retail marijuana trade in Colorado.

If nothing else comes of the recently passed state bills, at the very 
least we hope they push the issue of marijuana legalization to its 
next logical step. We've previously supported the legalization of 
small amounts of marijuana so that our legal and justice systems no 
longer waste taxpayer time and money on such trivial cases. We also 
like Amendment 64's provisions giving local governments the ultimate 
say in how marijuana businesses are regulated, or even whether 
they're allowed. With a system now somewhat in place for overseeing 
marijuana businesses at the state level, cities like Steamboat can 
fine tune the particulars to match the will of their residents.

Colorado made history last week by becoming the first state in the 
country to establish regulations for retail marijuana businesses. 
Only time will tell whether it's a good move for our state, but at 
least it seems likely to move Colorado, and the nation, closer to 
clarity on the future of marijuana and its status as a criminalized narcotic.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom