Marijuana Legalization in Colorado: Six-Month Status Report

All eyes are on Colorado to gauge the impact of the country’s first-ever law allowing personal use of marijuana for recreational purposes, which went into effect last January.  (Washington passed a similar law, but has not yet started implementation.)  July 1st will mark six months since Amendment 64 went into effect.  In the meantime, what has been happening with crime rates, marijuana arrests, the economy and traffic safety?  What’s working and what is not?

What we know so far: According to the state’s department of revenue, the first four months of legal marijuana sales have resulted in $10.8 million in taxes.  Approximately $1.9 million of the $40 million that will go to improve Colorado’s schools has been raised so far.  There has also been a 5.2% decrease in violent crime since last year at this time in Denver.   And, according to the Colorado Center on Law and Policy, by removing criminal penalties for marijuana possession, the state could save anywhere from $12 to $40 million in one year.

Will Colorado’s legalization law have a ripple effect on the rest of the nation?  Learn more this Thursday.

WHAT:  Press Teleconference: Status report from Colorado after 6-months of legalized marijuana for recreational purposes.

WHEN:  Thursday, June 26, 11am MT / 1pm ET

HOW:  Contact Tony Newman for more information: 646-335-5384

WHO:

State Representative Jonathan Singer, who recently sponsored two bills in the state general assembly addressing regulation of edibles and marijuana concentrates
Art Way, Senior Drug Policy Manager, Colorado, Drug Policy Alliance
Tony Ryan, Former Denver Police Officer and member of Law Enforcement against Prohibition
Jordan Wellington, Director of Compliance at Vicente Sederberg LLC
Brooke Gilbert, National Cannabis Industry Association
Mike Elliott, Marijuana Industry Group
Stephen Gutwillig, Deputy Executive Director, Drug Policy Alliance
Sharda Sekaran (moderator), Managing Director, Communications, Drug Policy Alliance