Pdoggg Posted April 9, 2015 Share Posted April 9, 2015 DALLAS, TX - The travel impact of marijuana legalization has been a much debated topic, but for the second year in a row, Denver is expected to see heightened travel interest on and around April 20th according to Hotels.com. In 2014, Denver saw a 73 percent year-over-year increase in hotel searches for check-ins during the April 20th weekend, which featured a number of organized marijuana events and music festivals, but coincided with the Easter holiday. While the date falls on a Monday this year, searches for check-ins during April 17-20 have surged yet again, rising over 60 percent over the same timeframe last year. Denver also experienced an overall boost in popularity in 2014 as it became the 14th most popular domestic destination for Americans, according to the Hotels.com Hotel Price Index (HPI). The upward trend was seen across the state of Colorado with searches for the entirety of 2014 showing a 51 percent increase over 2013. Similarly, the state of Washington has also seen an increase in travel interest since the recreational sale of marijuana was legalized in July of 2014. Seattle, which remains the 18th most popular domestic destination on the HPI, experienced a 61 percent boost in searches in the second half of 2014 after the law was in effect. While Oregon's Measure 91 won't go into effect until July 1, 2015, the state has already seen a 25 percent rise in searches for stays during the first 90 days that the law is in effect. Travel interest in Portland has also increased during this period, reflecting a 64 percent rise in searches. http://www.eturbonews.com/57428/marijuana-tourism-continues-drive-travel-interest-denver Quote Link to comment
JaiDee Posted April 10, 2015 Share Posted April 10, 2015 And yet, only 4 states and the District have passed legalization. How stupid do these other states have to be? Don't they WANT new revenue for their states while cutting down on crime and the amounts of people filling their jails? Are they not aware that legalization in Washington and Colorado alone have accounted for a massive loss in revenue for the Mexican cartels in their marijuana-trafficking operations? Someone still has to tell me the downside of legalizing a plant, it's 100 times safer than alcohol and every time I am out I see people acting like assholes and starting fights and being loud with alcohol; with stoners all you see is people watching movies and eating ice cream. 1 Quote Link to comment
Kahuna Posted April 11, 2015 Share Posted April 11, 2015 And yet, only 4 states and the District have passed legalization. How stupid do these other states have to be? Don't they WANT new revenue for their states while cutting down on crime and the amounts of people filling their jails? That ain't entirely true...Colorado is in the unfortunate position that under current law they might have to pay all the the ganja tax they have collected back.............Ain't that a bummer................ And as I recall, I read something recently that the illegal trade is still operating in those States....Why? Cause the State run businesses charge more...Taxes............................... It ain't exactly like running down to the local market and buying an $8 bottle of vodka........... There also law suits brought by adjoining States against Colorado claiming all kinds of abuses....... It is just all too new...I think most other States are playing a waiting game to see how the test States work out the wrinkles.... And the Feds still have the trump card...No matter what the States do, pursuant to Federal statute it is still illegal........... The Feds have backed off for now, but what happens if we get a conservative POTUS......We already got a conservative Congress...They could start busting heads if they wanted..................What if............. Quote Link to comment
rxpharm Posted April 11, 2015 Share Posted April 11, 2015 If I recall correctly many of the states have Republican governors and Republican controlled legislatures - that is also a big obstacle for legalizing marijuana. Quote Link to comment
xyzzy Posted April 11, 2015 Share Posted April 11, 2015 That ain't entirely true...Colorado is in the unfortunate position that under current law they might have to pay all the the ganja tax they have collected back.............Ain't that a bummer................ And as I recall, I read something recently that the illegal trade is still operating in those States....Why? Cause the State run businesses charge more...Taxes............................... It ain't exactly like running down to the local market and buying an $8 bottle of vodka........... There also law suits brought by adjoining States against Colorado claiming all kinds of abuses....... It is just all too new...I think most other States are playing a waiting game to see how the test States work out the wrinkles.... And the Feds still have the trump card...No matter what the States do, pursuant to Federal statute it is still illegal........... The Feds have backed off for now, but what happens if we get a conservative POTUS......We already got a conservative Congress...They could start busting heads if they wanted..................What if............. This is all correct. I was watching a show recently where the Nebraska State Police were on the lookout for people coming out of CO with pot. Especially large amounts as smaller amounts are a minor offense in NE. But NE choose to make a special enforcement effort in this area. Further reaffirming Colorado residents oppinions that a large wall should be built around NE and then fill it with water making a large recreation area... Yes if the GOP gains the White House the legal status could change in an instant. If Ted Cruz wins I suppose possession could be a capital offense. Quote Link to comment
JaiDee Posted April 15, 2015 Share Posted April 15, 2015 I'll probbaly get excoriated for this in certain circles, but IMO all drugs should be legalized. Any libertarian would agree, same as with prostitution; it's our bodies, who are these governments to regulate them? Portugal tried it 12 years ago and it's working there; money which was once used for jails can now go towards rehabilitation centers, and policing costs go down as well. Early warning ad campaigns aimed at youth as well, trying to nip it in the bud. ''Ten Years After Decriminalization, Drug Abuse Down by Half in Portugal'' http://www.forbes.com/sites/erikkain/2011/07/05/ten-years-after-decriminalization-drug-abuse-down-by-half-in-portugal/ Of course this will never happen, even if we lived another 200 years. But the ''war on drugs" is definitely an abject failure which has gotten us absolutely nowhere - except our status as jailing more people than any other country on earth, by a very wide margin - since it was started in 1972 by Tricky Dick; why not try something else? Quote Link to comment
SiamSam Posted April 15, 2015 Share Posted April 15, 2015 Until recently I have also held the same belief JaiDee. But in the last 10 years I have seen first hand the absolute and total devastation a drug like crack does to someone. It is truly something beyond comprehension to the objective, sober, non-addicted mind. I don't pretend to have a solution I just know there are some things in this life that should simply be eradicated and drugs like crack cocaine is one of them. 1 Quote Link to comment
Hefe Posted April 16, 2015 Share Posted April 16, 2015 I think the issue sam: is using a drug a criminal offense or a health/medical issue? Here in the States the prisons are bulging with an absurd amount of black males who were initially incarcerated for smoking a weed that grows wild (not so much anymore but it did not long ago). An excuse to target a population, like blasphemy laws elsewhere. Plus pot isn't the same type of drug as the opiates. The acts some folks do while on drugs may be criminal but being sentenced to prison for possession is a waste of time & lives. BTW the prison system in the US has been privatized since Reagan era & there is a necessity there to increase profits & expand as in any other business, a built in conflict of interest for society methinks. I'm actually looking at going to Portugal next month & didn't realize they decriminalized it, is there a legal access to it as a tourist while staying within the law as in Colorado or Amsterdam? Quote Link to comment
JaiDee Posted April 17, 2015 Share Posted April 17, 2015 BTW the prison system in the US has been privatized since Reagan era & there is a necessity there to increase profits & expand as in any other business I'm actually looking at going to Portugal next month & didn't realize they decriminalized it, is there a legal access to it as a tourist while staying within the law as in Colorado or Amsterdam? See, this is a horrible thing and allows for all sorts of corruption at many levels. It's in the best interest of the people who own the jails to keep them FULL, 2 of them are traded on the NY stock exchange! And they have deals with the states and with the feds whereby they get paid for beds whether they are full or not; so the attitude of the police and local governments is "fuck it, may as well keep them filled" and they do that by busting low-level dealers and even worse, people whose only crime is possession. Let's also remember it's NOT in the best interest of Big Pharma for these drugs to be legalized, and they pay lobbyists to bribe our elected officials to keep them illegal. Wouldn't be very good for the profit margins if everyone realized there was no need for them to pay hundreds of dollars for their painkillers from Pfizer when in reality all they may need is a little weed from a dispensary. Not sure if Portugal has legal access to it and stores which sell it, etc....don't think so though. I think they just let you use but don't sell it. I think the Swiss do something similar with their junkies, no? Quote Link to comment
JaiDee Posted April 17, 2015 Share Posted April 17, 2015 Absolutely LOVE this idea, I wish my state would do it! Vermont is only 45 mins away, I am sure I will be visiting soon http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/04/16/vermont-alcohol-ban-marijuana-_n_7079484.html?utm_hp_ref=politics Vermont Lawmakers Threaten To Reinstate Prohibition If Pot Isn't Legalized "If passed, House Bill 502 would outlaw the consumption of alcohol, with penalties mirroring those currently in place for marijuana possession. Those found with small amounts of alcohol would be subject to fines of up to $500, and anyone involved in the sale and distribution stream could face up to 30 years in prison and $1 million in penalties.'' Quote Link to comment
JaiDee Posted May 21, 2015 Share Posted May 21, 2015 http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/local-news/epileptic-girl-who-moved-to-colorado-for-medical-marijuana-has-dramatically-improved-parents-say ''Epileptic girl who moved to Colorado for medical marijuana has dramatically improved, parents say'' "It just seems so ridiculous, now that we're actually able to try it - why is this being withheld from any child or any person dealing with seizures?" Quote Link to comment
Tomcat Posted June 16, 2015 Share Posted June 16, 2015 Very soon a bigger Cat will be out of the bag . It was thought that making Morphine and Cocaine from Yeast was years away but i see that Scientists leaked out that they are on the verge of doing this pretty soon and eventually anyone with a home brewing kit will be in business..it only takes one company to release a genetically engineered strain and drug control would be impossible Whats the odds on many strains of Yeast being made illegal within the next year ...a certainty.. but it wont stop the home brewers is my bet. Technology is moving very fast in this area and Opiate producing yeast will be upon us within a few years in a big way QUOTE New Scientist Magazine "recreating the strain from scratch starting with bakers yeast would not be that difficult" 1 Quote Link to comment
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