Why Legal Weed is Working in Colorado

(Summary by Hannah)

This article discusses the success of marijuana legalization in Colorado, putting a positive spin on the news event that hints at a pro-marijuana policy. Author Alex Altman mentions how businesses made one million dollars on the first day of sales alone, as people lined up for hours in the cold to purchase legal, taxed, and regulated weed. This success, he claims, was due to the government working together to satisfy the public, as Amendment 64 (in favor of legalization) was voted in by 55% of Colorado citizens. As even anti-marijuana government officials realized that legalization was somewhat inevitable, both sides joined together to make this new step as safe for the public as possible. Altman then goes on to name other states, even countries, who are leaning towards looser drug laws, such as Washington state, the District of Columbia, Uruguay, and Brazil. He says that although success for now is to be celebrated, there are sure to be problems down the road, like heavy taxes or dwindling supply due to popular demand; however, he ends the article with an affirmation that there have been no major failures so far, and legalization has created a thriving industry in Colorado. His main argument is that legalization has been successful in Colorado, and not only that, but Colorado will become a model for other states in the future. He values thriving businesses and a working government that listens to the people.

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Why Legal Weed is Working in Colorado

Altman, A. (2014). Why Legal Weed is Working in Colorado. Time.Com, 1.