X 6.30.14

Colorado is a half-year into its legalized recreational marijuana experiment. I’m pretty libertarian when it comes to drug use, if it’s done with safeguards in place. Go ahead and use if you’re only putting yourself at risk. I’m not an officer in the morality police.

But, why should small pot businesses get a pass to do things that the public no longer lets big tobacco or alcohol get away with?

First, second hand pot smoke is a health hazard. I left Amnesia Rockfest a day early in part because my lungs couldn’t take anymore clouds of French Canadian sticky icky icky.

Ok, even for people not quite as bronchially-challenged as me, the threat of second hand pot smoke in recreational areas poses threats to non smokers and kids who want nothing more than to breathe clean air.

Second, why the hell is it OK to sell candy infused with THC!? Joe Camel was crucified for being too kid-friendly, yet Colorado turns a blind eye to marijuana Gummi bears!? If it’s not OK for other legalized drug dealers to target children, why then would we give a pass to the purveyors of pot?

A doctor was interviewed today on On Point. He stated that they are seeing people every day for pot overdosing. That’s because edible goodies are overloaded with THC. In this case, the blame should be shared among sellers and consumers. Apparently, no one eats the manufacturer’s recommended dose of one-sixth of a pot cookie.

I love the fact that we can be creative in our democracy and take power away from illegal, violent drug cartels. But, laissez faire recreational pot use has created a public health crisis in Colorado. Are we just allowing a new parasitic industry to blossom?

Call me frumpy. But I won’t be sending my kids to play at homes with pot candy lying around. And as much as I love Boulder and the Rockies, I’ll think twice before planning family trips to Colorado.