Amendment 64 Task Force Issues Final Report

By Jeralyn, Section Colorado News
Posted on Thu Mar 14, 2013 at 12:31:24 PM EST
Tags: Amendment 64, marijuana reform (all tags)

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The task force designated by Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper to make recommendations for the implementation of Amendment 64, legalizing marijuana in Colorado, has concluded its work and issued this 165 page report.

Included in the report are 58 recommendations,

....on everything from how recreational marijuana stores should be regulated to whether people should be able to smoke pot in bars.

The report will be considered by a joint legislative committee (not a pun, that's the terminology used to reflect it will include both House and Senate members.) The committee will meet twice in March.

[More...]

Committee members hope to complete their review of the recommendations by March 29, then propose bills that would enable the implementation of Amendment 64.

While the feds have not yet stated a position on Amendment 64, Hickenlooper's chief legal counsel thinks the level of detail of the regulations result in them largely staying out of it.

"I believe, if we can convince them that we're able to do all that, then they will take the same stance on adult recreational use of marijuana as they've taken on medical marijuana," [Jack] Finlaw said.

The Department of Justice is not interested in prosecuting recreational marijuana use or even grows. It might be interested in interstate transporting -- or keeping marijuana away from kids and schools, but the regulations are sufficiently detailed on these points, so I agree they will mostly stay out of it with respect to those in compliance.

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Amendment 64 Task Force Issues Final Report | 6 comments (6 topical)

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At 42... (none / 0) (#1)
by ScottW714 on Thu Mar 14, 2013 at 02:04:44 PM EST

...I never thought I read something like this, a serious committee, with serious recommendations about the legalization of marijuana in the US. While I don't partake anymore, as a youth I can remember attending several rallies in Madison, WI and thinking it was a pipe dream. Good job in making common sense law Colorado.

That being said, there is a huge disconnect in these posts even though I agree with everything mentioned. I will be shocked if the Fed lets larger growers and distributors alone, but even if they do, they are still living under the a cloud of illegality. Which means their livelihoods and liberty can be taken away on a whim, not to mention the issues with the IRS for operating an illegal business.

The disconnect is thinking everything is fine, when at the Fed level nothing has changed, they have never bothered users, and the sentences for large scale growing and distributing remain the same.

It's a great step forward, but I hope they keep pushing the Fed to get marijuana off the Drug Schedule, until then there are be causalities of the drug war, even in the state that legalized it.

I am also interested to see the rates of use on other drugs after this is effective for a year or two. My guess, rates will remain constant, I never bought the gateway non-sense, and people who use other drugs aren't going to switch their substance of choice just because another is legal, they always had alcohol.

: lol; a pipe dream indeed. (none / 0) (#4)
by Mr Natural on Thu Mar 14, 2013 at 08:02:45 PM EST

I'm in the same position nowadays and would have to make time on my calender to get stoned if I still indulged. I'd need time to get stoned, time to be stoned, time to come down from being stoned, time when nothing very important was demanded of me because I was still a bit fuzzy, etc. etc. etc.
But any law that distracts attention away from our real problem drug, alcohol, is ok with our masters, because that's where they've got their money invested.

seriously looking into (none / 0) (#3)
by CaptHowdy on Thu Mar 14, 2013 at 06:56:11 PM EST

relocation to Colorado.

: & pack your old John Denver albums (none / 0) (#5)
by Mr Natural on Fri Mar 15, 2013 at 07:53:58 AM EST

Colorado Rocky Mountain High

: I hear that... (none / 0) (#6)
by kdog on Fri Mar 15, 2013 at 08:05:04 AM EST

fast becoming the beacon of liberty amongst the 50 states...Colorado, or Washington.
Go West Old Man! ;)

: I've heard it's a beautiful ... (none / 0) (#7)
by Yman on Fri Mar 15, 2013 at 03:54:30 PM EST

... particularly if you like outdoor activites.
Why the move?