Denver Post, 23 Sep 2012 – LEGALIZATION AND THE SOCIAL REALITY OF MARIJUANA Gov. John Hickenlooper needs to prioritize children over political messaging. There is a big difference between condoning marijuana use and protecting children from drugs. Decriminalization acknowledges the social reality of marijuana and frees users from the stigma of life-shattering criminal records. What’s really needed is a regulated market with age controls as provided for by Amendment 64. Separating the hard and soft drug markets is critical.

DrugSense

The Steamboat Today, 22 Sep 2012 – Legalizing marijuana in Colorado will be on the general election ballot Nov. 6. Advocates seem unconcerned or oblivious to the fact that it is illegal under federal law. Legalizing "medical" marijuana in 2000 was the first step in the advocates’ long-term strategy to eventually make the drug legal. That is where we are now — with some restrictions on age, quantity, etc.

The Steamboat Today, 22 Sep 2012 – Steamboat Springs – Some local medical marijuana dispensary owners are concerned that legalizing marijuana in Colorado actually could jeopardize their ability to supply pot to patients. Colorado residents will vote Nov. 6 on Amendment 64. If approved, it would legalize the recreational use of marijuana and allow those 21 and older to carry as much as an ounce. While Rocky Mountain Remedies co-owner Kevin Fisher thinks adults should be allowed to smoke marijuana recreationally, he is concerned that the successful passage of the amendment to the Colorado Constitution could invite federal law enforcement officers to come to Colorado and shut down dispensaries.

The Aspen Times, 22 Sep 2012 – ASPEN — Pitkin County is giving medical marijuana businesses 30 days to submit an application for a required local license though the operations are technically out of compliance with county regulations at the moment. A letter signed by Jon Peacock, county manager, is being sent to businesses of which county officials are aware, informing them of the need for a local license and how to get one.

The Aspen Times, 21 Sep 2012 – Amendment 64, the Nov. 6 referendum facing Colorado voters that would essentially legalize marijuana on a statewide level, makes perfect sense to us. States should have the right to decide this issue. Seventeen states, including Colorado, already allow marijuana cultivation and use for medical purposes despite federal law, which still makes marijuana as an illegal substance and a primary but inconsistent target of its failed war on drugs.

Boulder Weekly, 20 Sep 2012 – The sponsors of Colorado Proposition 64, the ballot proposal that would legalize marijuana and regulate it like alcohol, think these are three of the best arguments for voting yes: 1) Marijuana is objectively less harmful than alcohol.

Arizona Republic, 20 Sep 2012 – DENVER – A catchy pro-marijuana jingle for Colorado voters considering legalizing the drug goes like this: "Jobs for our people. Money for schools. Who could ask for more?" It’s a bit more complicated than that in the three states – Colorado, Oregon and Washington – that could be the first to legalize marijuana.

DrugSense

Denver Post, 17 Sep 2012 – Re: "Study finds perilous mold in Colorado pot-growing operations," Sept. 11 news story. This story noted that police and firefighters were being exposed to harmful mold in non-medical marijuana grows. As a badged employee of the Medical Marijuana Enforcement Division, I have witnessed firsthand the meticulous measures taken by growers at state-licensed facilities to ensure mold-free, clean environments.