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| Flickr CC via Shaolin Worldwide |
Colorado has begun testing the nation’s first legal
recreational marijuana sales by opening retail pot shops to the public on January 1st 2014. No doctor’s
note is required to buy up to one ounce of the drug. Around 24 shops opened to
customers, most of them in Denver.
Denver voters approved the retail marijuana initiative by 66
percent in November 2012. The sales in Colorado are crucial tests of whether
pot can be sold and regulated like alcohol. Keeping marijuana away from
children and testing the amount of taxable sales are being closely watched.
Sean Azzariti, an Iraq war veteran suffering from
post-traumatic stress disorder, made the first legal purchase of recreational marijuana in Denver. “I feel amazing.
This is a huge step forward for veterans,” he said. “Now I get to use
recreational cannabis to alleviate my PTSD.”
Some shops have raised prices or reduced purchasing limits
since opening their doors. Shoppers complained they were paying three times
more than they were used to. The state of Colorado has hundreds of pending
applications for recreational pot retailers wanting to open to the public.
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| Flickr CC via Lynn Friedman |
Residents with Colorado identification who are over 21 can
buy and possess up to an ounce of marijuana at one time. One-quarter of an
ounce can be bought with an out-of-state ID. Marijuana advocates said they
expect $400 million in sales in the next year, with $27.5 million designated for schools.
The state of Washington plans to open retail shops by late spring.
Although marijuana is still illegal
on the federal level, the Department of Justice in August stated
they would not
pursue prosecution for recreational pot in Colorado and Washington. Activists
believe a government-monitored marijuana industry is a better alternative than
the failing war on drugs. They believe pot should be treated the same as
alcohol; but critics think it will fuel marijuana use by minors.
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