January 7, 2015

A Year After Legalizing Weed, Colorado Hasn’t Gone to Pot

Legalization hasn’t been the disaster opponents feared, but it also hasn’t kicked off a promised economic boom.

Stanimir G.Stoev/Shutterstock

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Long a stoner joke, the movement to legalize marijuana is now riding high. Voters have backed legal pot in four states and the District of Columbia. Arizona, California, Maine, Massachusetts, and Nevada are expected to vote on legalization in 2016.

Map: The United States of Legalized Marijuana

For a glimpse at what happens after pot prohibitions are lifted, consider Colorado, which opened the door to recreational pot sales last January. (It legalized medical pot in 2000.) Democratic Gov. John Hickenlooper called the move, approved by voters in 2012, “reckless.” One sheriff warned that it would bring “more crime, more kids using marijuana, and pot for sale everywhere.” Proponents, meanwhile, said a regulated market would let cops focus on serious crime while bringing in a “ton of tax revenue.” Let’s look at the numbers.

pot stats

Sources

Estimated pot sales: “Market Size and Demand for Marijuana in Colorado,” the Marijuana Policy Group for the Colorado Department of Revenue

Revenues and taxes: “Market Size and Demand for Marijuana in Colorado”; Colorado Department of Revenue; Washington Post

Out-of-state visitors: “Market Size and Demand for Marijuana in Colorado”

Market predictions: Denver Post; State of Colorado (1, 2)

Medical marijuana: Colorado Department of Revenue

Total demand: “Market Size and Demand for Marijuana in Colorado”

Pot real estate: Denver Post; Ladybud

Pot users: “Market Size and Demand for Marijuana in Colorado”

Spot checks: Colorado Department of Revenue

Crime rates: Data from Denver Department of Safety

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We just wrapped up a shorter-than-normal, urgent-as-ever fundraising drive and we came up about $45,000 short of our $300,000 goal.

That means we're going to have upwards of $350,000, maybe more, to raise in online donations between now and June 30, when our fiscal year ends and we have to get to break-even. And even though there's zero cushion to miss the mark, we won't be all that in your face about our fundraising again until June.

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