Apparently only 60% of marijuana users in Colorado buy it through legal channels which has cost the state to lose over $21 million dollars in their anticipated tax revenue through legalized marijuana.

 

The reason so many are buying it illegally still? Because it is cheaper.

 

oops, didn't see that coming lol

 

Colorado not reaping big money from pot as people still buy illegally | WREG.com

Apparently only 60% of marijuana users in Colorado buy it through legal channels which has cost the state to lose over $21 million dollars in their anticipated tax revenue through legalized marijuana.

 

The reason so many are buying it illegally still? Because it is cheaper.

 

oops, didn't see that coming lol

 

Colorado not reaping big money from pot as people still buy illegally | WREG.com

 

I don't know all the particulars but once something is legal the government really needs to crack down on the illegal activity.

 

Also, we are talking about anticipated revenue.

How can it say it is not bringing in big revenue? Sounds like to me they have some more loose ends to tie to collect even more.

Seems to me that if they're losing $21 million because 40 percent of purchasers bought it on the black market, then Colorado is still sitting on over $52 million they didn't have last year with the prospect of still bringing that number up.

I don't know all the particulars but once something is legal the government really needs to crack down on the illegal activity.

 

Also, we are talking about anticipated revenue.

Is that sarcastic? :laugh:

Seems to me that if they're losing $21 million because 40 percent of purchasers bought it on the black market, then Colorado is still sitting on over $52 million they didn't have last year with the prospect of still bringing that number up.

Wonder how much they could bring in if they legalized other recreational drugs?

Wonder how much they could bring in if they legalized other recreational drugs?

 

At some point you have to make the public health calculation as well. Legalizing marijuana just made too much sense for Colorado. I don't know that you can make the same claim with other drugs.

I was actually hoping pot smokers who were all (or vast, vast, majority) so strongly for legalization would buy it legally to support legalization. By purchasing it illegally they are hurting the cause essentially and making other states reconsider legalizing. Dang pot smokers.

At some point you have to make the public health calculation as well. Legalizing marijuana just made too much sense for Colorado. I don't know that you can make the same claim with other drugs.

Have there been any unintended consequences from the legalization in Colorado? Seems most of the reporting out of Colorado have said it has been a smoking success so far. (pun intended)

The government is never going to rake in 100% of the revenue. It's just too easy to grow. They should be happy with the piece of the pie they are receiving but that isn't going to happen, I'm sure.

Have there been any unintended consequences from the legalization in Colorado? Seems most of the reporting out of Colorado have said it has been a smoking success so far. (pun intended)

 

Since you cannot over dose on pot (that I know of), other than a larger percentage of the population being in a haze, there probably are not more consequences. Someone said homelessness has increased but then some retorted that the pot heads probably just forgot where they lived. LOL.

The government is never going to rake in 100% of the revenue. It's just too easy to grow. They should be happy with the piece of the pie they are receiving but that isn't going to happen, I'm sure.

 

Personal experience? LOL

At some point you have to make the public health calculation as well. Legalizing marijuana just made too much sense for Colorado. I don't know that you can make the same claim with other drugs.

 

Agreed. I would be interested in the impact of legalization on consumption by underage users if any. This is the group with the highest risk of having a negative effect including escalation to other drugs if I understand correctly.

Have there been any unintended consequences from the legalization in Colorado? Seems most of the reporting out of Colorado have said it has been a smoking success so far. (pun intended)

 

It's only been six months. There are unintended consequences to any economic decision like this one but I don't know that we'll understand the real results (or be able to isolate them from other factors) for at least a couple years.

Agreed. I would be interested in the impact of legalization on consumption by underage users if any. This is the group with the highest risk of having a negative effect including escalation to other drugs if I understand correctly.

 

That's a curiosity for me too. I knew people that started smoking it in college that are perfectly normal. I know several people that started smoking it in high school and they were what I would generously call a bit slow on the uptake.