Marijuana Blog

Cannabis tourism is going to be a big part of the industry moving forward. There are currently only two states that allow legal recreational cannabis sales (Washington and Colorado), and people from miles around are traveling to both states to benefit from the next great American industry. A recent report out of Colorado shows that tourists make up a sizable percentage of legal recreational purchases in Colorado, especially in ski-resort areas. Per The Denver Post:

 

The study, released Wednesday, found that out-of-state visitors make up nearly half of recreational marijuana sales in the Denver area — and 90 percent of recreational sales in mountain resort communities.

 

The report had all kinds of interesting statistics relating to Colorado’s booming cannabis industry. The top 22 percent of cannabis consumers in Colorado account for over 66% of the total sales. That means that repeat customers are largely driving the industry. Annual cannabis sales in Colorado are estimated to be over 130 metric tons.Roughly 9 percent of Colorado residents consume cannabis at least once a month.

 

Medical cannabis sales still outpace recreational sales. Through May, there had been roughly $165 million worth of medical cannabis sales, compared to $90 million in recreational cannabis sales. I can’t wait to see what the numbers are in Washington a few months from now. Washington started allowing legal recreational cannabis sales on July 7th. The 2014 Election will likely see two more states (Alaska and Oregon) and Washington D.C. pass cannabis legalization, which will lead to even more cannabis sales in America. It’s beyond time that the entire country took a new approach.

 

Source: http://www.theweedblog.com

Colorado's legal cannabis bill is in full effect and people are loving it. While Washington also passed the bill to legalize cannabis for recreational users, the officials there took their time setting up a model for the green business. July 8th marked the first day that cannabis was sold recreationally in Washington state, a day that resembled the first day of legal weed in Colorado back in January.

 

Caden Robinson told the New York Times that his parents actually suggested that he tend the first legal cannabis sales day. The 21 year old is a chemistry/chemical engineering major at University of Puget Sound and his father told him that he "should go make history". So Robinson and his friend Mark Rupprecht, a 33 year old bartender in the city, stood in line for hours under a blazing sun in order to get their hands on some of that legal green. Rupprecht stated that a day like today would "be something to tell my grandkids". Being present at the first day of legal cannabis in any state would be an amazing experience, as one would be present at a huge turning point in that state's (and the country's) history. Not everyone in line was there to get stoned, either. Some of those who were waiting just wanted to be there for the moment. CJ Graham, a 22 year old majoring in biopsychology at Tufts University, told the New York Times that he may get the nugs bronzed, as a memorial of the day. Others said that they were going to give the weed out as party favors at shindigs that were being held later in the day.

 

Since voters passed Initiative 502 back in 2012, Washington residents were able to possess and consume marijuana. Even before that, law officials had kind of backed off of the stoner community, basically leaving them to their own devices (as most police should do and instead concern themselves with real crimes). Tuesday the plant became fully legal in Washington state. However, medical marijuana and black market sales (which is still illegal) are sometimes thought of as a better option, considering the high price of the legal cannabis. The tax of the cannabis is 25% per purchase, which can be enough to deter a legal buyer to instead turn back to the black market, an issue that will need to be studied and worked on in the coming months.

Thinking about taking a vacation from your state of Colorado or Washington? Possibly going back to see family or friends or maybe just getting away? If you're thinking about taking your recreational marijuana with you, you may want to think again. Even though the laws allow for cannabis to be consumed legally by people in these states, things are still a bit iffy with the TSA and the rules regarding flying with weed.

 

In Colorado, the Denver Airport has "amnesty boxes" in which people can deposit their weed before getting on a plane. The airport has a very strict no cannabis policy and the boxes serve as a place for people to avoid getting caught flying with weed by the airport security. Since the airport is so big, they are allowed to make their own rules regarding the plant. So even though you can smoke it at home, don't try to bring it on your flight!

 

Washington, however, doesn't grant the option to large venue owners to determine the rules of cannabis consumption. In the Washington airports, the security officers will be looking for weed but only amounts that surpass the legal carrying limit of 1 ounce. If there is more weed in your luggage, chances are that you'll be getting a grilling. The officers are able to call the police if more marijuana is found and the person in question could have charges brought against them if their record shows a history of drug related offenses or if they are carrying over $4,000 in cash. Individuals who have a checkered past with the law should also be weary, as even carrying less than the legal limit could make them a target for TSA officers.

 

Taking a vacation with some bud would be awesome but it's definitely something to be careful about. Be sure to research the rules of the airports you'll be at and the states that you'll be landing in. If you have the proper medical ID, you should still be aware that while the TSA claims that they are not actively looking for marijuana (their website is unclear really about what they're looking for), they will turn people over to the police that they deem suspicious.