Pubdate: Sun, 12 Apr 2015
Source: Gazette, The (Colorado Springs, CO)
Copyright: 2015 The Gazette
Contact: http://www.gazette.com/sections/opinion/submitletter/
Website: http://www.gazette.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/165

TO FIX MARIJUANA PROBLEMS, START BY STOPPING

The Rocky Mountain High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area reports 30
people were injured last year in 32 explosions involving hash oil
production. It's a dangerous dilemma that seriously undermines
well-intentioned beliefs that legalization would enhance public safety.

On this topic, people who favor and oppose legalization should agree:
Hash oil explosions must stop. Toward that end, a House committed
voted 13-0 last week to establish felony charges for anyone suspected
of using explosive gas to make hash oil in a residence. The bill would
limit hash oil production to commercial operations, which are
ostensibly easier to monitor and regulate.

As explained by a Thornton police sergeant in The Cannabist, a Denver
publication devoted to marijuana coverage, hash oil explosions are to
2015 what methamphetamine labs were to the 1990s. Hash oil extraction
often involves forcing butane, propane or liquid through cannabis
leaves. Without proper ventilation, the process can cause vapors to
invisibly pool - just as any gas leak can lead to the dangerous
pooling of explosive gas in low-lying areas of structures. Getting
control of this obvious public safety threat is a no-brainer.

It's also a good start to a much bigger problem. Colorado's marijuana
industry remains a flawed experiment, viewed by rest of the world, in
need of multiple major reforms.

As it stands, the recreational marijuana business has done nothing to
raise money for schools - a key component of industry promises that
played a significant role in getting voters to approve legalization.
Because of (TABOR) - a law that mostly keeps Colorado out of trouble -
all tax revenues from 2015 need to be returned to the general public.
Even some ardent supporters of TABOR don't see much sense in that. The
industry was supposed to help fund schools, drug education and
government while generating enough revenue for the cost of its
regulation. Legislators need to get a question to the ballot asking
for permission to keep the funds.

But a bigger problem than TABOR's unintended effect on recreational
tax revenues is the thriving "medical" marijuana trade. Everyone knows
that illnesses and injuries are not true requirements for shopping at
medical marijuana stores and saving 22 percent on taxes. Because the
medical trade serves as a tax loophole, medical marijuana sales have
grown in the face of recreational sales. Until the Legislature finds a
way to resolves this problem, tax revenues on pot will continue to
disappoint.

By all means, work fast to stop the hash oil fires and explosions.
It's an urgent public safety matter. But realize much more work must
be done. Those who still favor legalization should do the most to
fight for a system of taxation and regulation that genuinely works. If
they don't, they may lose the support of non-marijuana users who
supported Amendment 64 with a belief regulation and taxes could make
things better, safer and more prosperous for all.
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MAP posted-by: Matt