Anyone here from Colorado or Washington?

I would be very interested to know how life has changed, has the apocalpse come allready? Are violent Marrijuana users terroizing ordinary citizens? More importantly what has been the affect on general use? Do people smoke more? Does anyone smoke who didnt smoke before? Does illegal production and distribution still take place?

I visited Seattle last fall.

I smelled pot precisely one time when walking around the city....and the wife and I would walk at least 10mi/day when we were in town (as opposed to hiking elsewhere). Nothing seemed out of ordinary.

Red_Dave said:

I would be very interested to know how life has changed, has the apocalpse come allready? Are violent Marrijuana users terroizing ordinary citizens? More importantly what has been the affect on general use? Do people smoke more? Does anyone smoke who didnt smoke before? Does illegal production and distribution still take place?

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I'm in Colorado.

I didn't really notice any difference except that people don't need to bribe a doctor to buy weed any more.

Basically, the same people who smoked before are the same people who smoke now.

I have no idea if illegal production and distribution still takes place. I don't know how you would define it- some people grow their own weed.

The people i know actually smoke less.

And the state has a ****load of extra revenue, as well as thousands of new jobs.

Moved to Washington state last November. I have no interest in drugs but they should be legal or decriminalized. Have not noticed anything different except newspaper ads.

Absentglare said:

I'm in Colorado.

I didn't really notice any difference except that people don't need to bribe a doctor to buy weed any more.

Basically, the same people who smoked before are the same people who smoke now.

I have no idea if illegal production and distribution still takes place. I don't know how you would define it- some people grow their own weed.

The people i know actually smoke less.

And the state has a ****load of extra revenue, as well as thousands of new jobs.

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I live in Colorado as well and I concur with your perception...except that I have heard of marijuana grow busts. It seems there are people who still attempt to grow excessive quantities. Maybe it's a market price thing. I don't buy the stuff, so I don't even know what the going rates are.

Here is a news articles. I haven't read it so I don't know the details.

Illegal grows fuel more calls to police | The Pueblo Chieftain

Mycroft said:

I live in Colorado as well and I concur with your perception...except that I have heard of marijuana grow busts. It seems there are people who still attempt to grow excessive quantities. Maybe it's a market price thing. I don't buy the stuff, so I don't even know what the going rates are.

Here is a news articles. I haven't read it so I don't know the details.

Illegal grows fuel more calls to police | The Pueblo Chieftain

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Good link !! It seems likely that the illicit marijuana business has gotten careless in the wake of legalization.

I'm in favor of people exercising their freedom, but that doesn't extend to creating issues for neighbors. Excessive smells should only be present where zoning permits. Selling marijuana unlawfully shouldn't happen anywhere, at least not in a meaningful capacity.

Red_Dave said:

I would be very interested to know how life has changed, has the apocalpse come allready? Are violent Marrijuana users terroizing ordinary citizens? More importantly what has been the affect on general use? Do people smoke more? Does anyone smoke who didnt smoke before? Does illegal production and distribution still take place?

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No the apocalypse has not come.

Some observations are

1) Many people began losing jobs for failing drug tests, several people at a former employer of mine either lost their jobs or had to undergo substance abuse and prevention programs to keep them because us DOT regulated workers cannot use illegal drugs
2) I do believe many more people who have never tried it before have tried it due to being legal, see above. I do not believe the rates of hard abuse have increased.
3) Marijuana grows have led to increased crime, I was chatting with a Deputy Sheriff from neighboring Pierce County several weeks ago and he mentioned they're always responding to burglary calls and prowler calls from MJ grows, in some cases this has led to violence, since MJ is a consumer good that's impossible to track and easy to fence, in addition to the fact that banks may not legally do business with drug enterprises, it's an all cash business so there's significant cash in Marijuana stores and grows as well, I know of two recent stories of homeowners at MJ grows shooting burglars. I live in Mason county which is entirely rural, and the county government never opposes MJ licenses and the understanding is pretty much everyone in the MJ business out here carry firearms because of the high risk of burglary, both of cash and product.
4) illegal distribution still takes place, taxes on MJ are high and growing it is easy, so there's many "cooperatives" and "personal" producers, and Washington Liquor Control Board doesn't have the resources they need to even begin to regulate the MJ trade.

despite all this, legalizing it was the right thing to do. IMO

EMNofSeattle said:

.

despite all this, legalizing it was the right thing to do. IMO

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And whys that?

I visited Colorado this summer and I didn't see a single stoner.

Masterhawk said:

I visited Colorado this summer and I didn't see a single stoner.

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Contrary to the reports people aren't doing anything much different than they did before they legalized pot. Things haven't changed that much. People aren't swinging from lamp poles with bongs screaming naked as was predicted.

Red_Dave said:

I would be very interested to know how life has changed, has the apocalpse come allready? Are violent Marrijuana users terroizing ordinary citizens? More importantly what has been the affect on general use? Do people smoke more? Does anyone smoke who didnt smoke before? Does illegal production and distribution still take place?

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Very little. People that smoked still smoke. People that didn't smoke might smoke every once in awhile. The largest problem has been the attraction to "travelers" and homeless people to migrate to cities like Boulder and Fort Collins.
Crime surge mars Fort Collins' 'million-dollar alley'

Last year the Rainbow Family thought it would be a good idea to hold their rally up in the mountains in Northern Colorado. That turned out to be a bad idea. They had been here the summer before and were a real pain in the ass. Last year the Sheriff decided that they needed some scrutiny. They didn't come back this year. It was good not to worry about having them around.

I live in Seattle. The only difference is the explosion of edibles. Smoking is for teenagers now. Edibles are much more convenient, only problem is that it can be harder to dial-in the dosage. By the time you realize you ate too large a portion it's too late. The rocket has left the launch pad, all you can do now is hold on.

So read the serving size before you eat that entire candy bar.

NonoBadDog said:

Contrary to the reports people aren't doing anything much different than they did before they legalized pot. Things haven't changed that much. People aren't swinging from lamp poles with bongs screaming naked as was predicted.

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On the other hand, weed is heavily taxed, only leagal for adults 21 and up, can only be possessed up to 1 ounce, and smoking in public is illegal

Authorities in Washington recorded 436 fatal crashes in 2013, and determined that drivers involved in 40 crashes tested positive for THC, the active chemical in marijuana, according to the study. In 2014 they found that of 462 fatal crashes, 85 drivers tested positive for THC.

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Marijuana-related fatal car accidents surge in Washington state after legalization - Washington Times

We are starting to get a lot of "you know you cant legally drive stoned, right?" radio ads. Nobody to this point seems to know what to do about it, because there is no test that is both reliable and fair.

the_recruit said:

I live in Seattle. The only difference is the explosion of edibles. Smoking is for teenagers now. Edibles are much more convenient, only problem is that it can be harder to dial-in the dosage. By the time you realize you ate too large a portion it's too late. The rocket has left the launch pad, all you can do now is hold on.

So read the serving size before you eat that entire candy bar.

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Explosion is the right word too. Special occasions for me because it is an expensive high compared to smoking, but dang already some of them are very tasty.