….marijuana now' legal in colorado :) , page-140

Just noticed this thread, and as a former resident of the USA it's exciting to finally see these changes take place. Australia should take note!

Let's clarify a few things about Colorado's new laws:

You must be 21 or older to purchase.
You cannot take it out of state.
Residents are entitled to buy one ounce at a time.
Residents are allowed to buy up to 5 plants for their own personal use, and by doing so they cannot sell it or give it to anyone else.
Out of state residents can purchase 1/2 ounce.
The tax is 25%.

Effectively, the cost according to local news outlets is slightly less than buying it when it was illegal.

The state of Colorado could see upwards of $750 million in tax revenue. Also, it does not have to deal with jailing of individuals, unless they go against the provisions in the law. Less money for imprisonment and, ironically more revenue for preschool to year 12 education.

Colorado has put in place a very well thought out plan and implementation. All plants are licensed and recorded in a database. Basically from seed to sale, every plant can be tracked, including up to 5 a resident can have for their own cultivation.

So, should Australia use Colorado as a guide for amending our future laws? Or should we continue down our failed path of Prohibition?

The pro's and cons can't be denied, only a fool would continue to proceed with our current laws. Eliminate the black market niche, regulate the quality (no more dodgy Hydro) and tax it!

We all know alcohol is far more dangerous than marijuana and serves no beneficial purpose other than becoming drunk, yet it is widely available and socially acceptable. Another King hit, another day of drinking in Oz.

Meanwhile, marijuana actually has legitimate medical purposes that have been ignored for decades due to pharma and political idiots being hysterical about its use.

Sure, excessive marijuana use can dull the mind but so can repeated viewing of "A Current Affair".