Denver Post, 20 Jun 2012 – Last month, a teenager in Grand Junction died after ingesting a dangerous synthetic drug that, before last week, anyone could purchase in stores across Colorado. These synthetic drugs, known as bath salts, have been associated with a number of violent attacks that have made headlines across the country, including a recent attack in Miami, where a man high on bath salts attacked a homeless man. Stories like this underscore the dangers of bath salts and convinced me of the neeed to outlaw the distribution of this cheap, accessible and highly destructive substance. I amended this crackdown into House Bill 1310, sponsored by state Rep. Bob Gardner, R-Colorado Springs, and saw it signed into law last week.

Daily Reporter-Herald, 16 Jun 2012 – To the editor: A recent Rasmussen poll showed that 61 percent of Coloradans favor marijuana legalization. Amendment 64 would legalize and regulate marijuana like alcohol. It makes sense considering marijuana, unlike alcohol, doesn’t cause overdoses, isn’t physically addictive or a contributor to violent behavior. How often have we heard about domestic abuse stemming from alcohol? Often, yet violent crime induced by marijuana use is extremely rare. When’s the last time you heard about someone abusing his wife after using marijuana? I can’t think of any since marijuana generally reduces aggression.

Daily Reporter-Herald, 16 Jun 2012 – To the editor: A recent Rasmussen poll showed that 61 percent of Coloradans favor marijuana legalization. Amendment 64 would legalize and regulate marijuana like alcohol. It makes sense considering marijuana, unlike alcohol, doesn’t cause overdoses, isn’t physically addictive or a contributor to violent behavior. How often have we heard about domestic abuse stemming from alcohol? Often, yet violent crime induced by marijuana use is extremely rare. When’s the last time you heard about someone abusing his wife after using marijuana? I can’t think of any since marijuana generally reduces aggression.

The Times-Tribune, 18 Jun 2012 – DENVER – Michael Jolton was a young father with a 5-year-old son when Colorado legalized medical marijuana in 2000. Now he’s got three boys, the oldest near adulthood, and finds himself repeatedly explaining greenleafed marijuana ads and "free joint" promotions endemic in his suburban hometown. "I did not talk to my oldest son about marijuana when he was 8 years old. We got to talk about fun stuff. Now with my youngest who’s 8, we have to talk about this," said Mr. Jolton, a consultant from Lakewood.

The Times-Tribune, 18 Jun 2012 – DENVER – Michael Jolton was a young father with a 5-year-old son when Colorado legalized medical marijuana in 2000. Now he’s got three boys, the oldest near adulthood, and finds himself repeatedly explaining greenleafed marijuana ads and "free joint" promotions endemic in his suburban hometown. "I did not talk to my oldest son about marijuana when he was 8 years old. We got to talk about fun stuff. Now with my youngest who’s 8, we have to talk about this," said Mr. Jolton, a consultant from Lakewood.

Daily Camera, 16 Jun 2012 – The day after the checkpoint on U.S. 36, my daughter was driving alone through Idaho and was stopped by a state trooper who claimed he thought her tinted windows might not conform to Idaho’s requirements. Is this a "lawful traffic contact for some identified violation?" Doesn’t sound like it to me. Sounds like fishing. The windows passed muster. He then stated that her eyes looked very red and asked her about alcohol or marijuana use. Presumably his personal opinion of her eyes is the "additional probable cause" indicating narcotics in the vehicle? More fishing. She sent me a picture of her eyes by phone. They weren’t red.

Daily Camera, 16 Jun 2012 – The day after the checkpoint on U.S. 36, my daughter was driving alone through Idaho and was stopped by a state trooper who claimed he thought her tinted windows might not conform to Idaho’s requirements. Is this a "lawful traffic contact for some identified violation?" Doesn’t sound like it to me. Sounds like fishing. The windows passed muster. He then stated that her eyes looked very red and asked her about alcohol or marijuana use. Presumably his personal opinion of her eyes is the "additional probable cause" indicating narcotics in the vehicle? More fishing. She sent me a picture of her eyes by phone. They weren’t red.

Summit Daily News, 21 Oct 2010 – Town likely to exercise local option for prohibition of MMJ businesses The Dillon Town Council will likely go for the "local option" to prohibit medical marijuana businesses within town limits. The town currently has no medical marijuana, or MMJ, businesses within town limits and has a moratorium in place through the end of the year to prevent any medical marijuana businesses from submitting business applications. Rather than issue another moratorium, the council will likely vote on whether to excersize the public option for prohibition – – as provided by House Bill 10-2184 – at a meeting in November.

Vail Daily, 19 Oct 2010 – National Drug Control Policy Director Gil Kerlikowske told CBS Radio News young people are being exposed to "mixed messages" about marijuana including the idea that it is a medicine. The "drug czar" said marijuana "may have properties that have medicinal values that should be tested," but he insisted "it is not medicine." Kerlikowske views marijuana as "an entry drug." The survey found that for the first time since 2002, less than half of young people believe using marijuana is harmful. The Obama administration remains strongly opposed to legalization of marijuana. If our president and drug czar say that medical marijuana is not medicine, then what is it? And why did so many Colorado voters approve it in November 2000? I feel the answer is they did not fully understand what the final impact would be 10 years later on their communities in Colorado. Did Eagle County vote to have seven pot shops and many more coming? Did Denver realize that today they would have over 300 pot shops within 50 miles of the city center and set a public record for more pot shops than Starbucks and schools combined?

Vail Daily, 19 Oct 2010 – I’ve read Mr. Sims’ letters to the editor, and realize that he obviously has no idea what he is talking about. Voting "no" on 1B, would be saying "yes to the black market." Whereas medical marijuana centers are strictly regulated by the state to offer medical marijuana to patients over 21, street dealers are pushing drugs such as cocaine, oxycontin, heroin, and speed to our children. These drugs are not offered to patients at a medical marijuana center. As far as children getting their hands on a medical marijuana patient’s medicine, I believe that is the parents’ responsibility. No medicine should be accessible to children, marijuana or prescription drugs.