Medical Marijuana Helping Budget Deficit, Colorado Gov. Says

DENVER — Gov. Bill Ritter is using $9 million from medical marijuana registrations to help the state meet a $60 million fiscal emergency.

The state anticipates ending the year with 150,000 applicants for medical marijuana cards, up from 41,000 in 2009. A marijuana card costs $90 per year.

Backers of medical marijuana legislation in a number of states and cities have touted revenue from possible taxes and other fees as a selling point at a time of tight fiscal funding.

Comments

[Don Roberson]

02:06 PM on 08/29/2010

That's right, the taxes help the state,and so would taxing Ritters bicycling fantasy,probably more than the MMJ taxes do..just think on how much we could get from just the cancer patients if we would just start taxing people to death for their illness and medications,then the state workers would each have a truck to sleep in..

[Aitch5]

03:21 PM on 08/26/2010

Hell yeah, hell yeah, hell yeah. California, Colorado, USA--take note! We have a serious economic crises (duh) We need NEW sources of income. Prostitution is another avenue to get state revenue!

[Jay Adams]

12:49 PM on 08/27/2010

Bringing prostitution into the equation probably doesn't help. Legalizing MJ and Hemp could do wonders for the economy and freedom in general.

Supporting the objectification of women would do nothing but degrade Colorado.

Let's free Colorado, not turn it into Vegas.

[RevRayGreen]

09:02 AM on 08/25/2010

MEDICAL MARIJUANA OUTLAWS - St. Michael'&'theDeacon' w/RevRayGreen "Green Central Station"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kXL6THUlKw8

make it legal,make it green, make it NOW !!!!!!!

[Aitch5]

03:21 PM on 08/26/2010

I agree!

[techcafe]

10:03 PM on 08/24/2010

here is a TYPICAL drug bust / take-down of a PEACEFUL family, who 'got caught' with a miniscule amount of marıjuana in their home (for personal use).

in this police video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V--tz3IMCY4

we see a small army of cops in full SWAT gear, storm their way through the front door, gųns-a-blazing… then SHΟΟT_&_ΚILL the family's dog (you can hear the dog writhing in pain after being shοt, several times), which of course terrifies the blοοdy hell out of the entire family, including the couple's YOUNG CHILD (also seen in the police video).

so folks,
this is what YOUR tax dollars are responsible for…

state-sponsοred_terrοrısm of PEACEFUL citizens; in their OWN homes, just minding their own business, in bed asleep… perhaps enjoying a relaxing smoke after work.

then BAM… your life is turned upside-down, your young child is traumatized, surrounded by a SWAT team of heavily-armed thugs… and your beloved dog is shοτ ĐΕĄĐ.

THIS is our 'War on Drugs'
and it happens all over America

so do YOU feel any SAFER?
i certainly don't.

please do something…
demand that our government put an END to this cruel, unjust and viciously violent War on Drugs.
--
note: there is an annoying YouTube Ad before the videoclip plays, so be patient.

[alkamm]

07:18 PM on 08/24/2010

I read that Colorado State wanted to be in charge of growing weed. That would be a great idea. They could fund educational programs with the profits and the state would have a licensed product that didn't have to be grown at such great expense under lights, but in greenhouses as God intended. Or outside.
The way states handle vice, though, is to license a few big players to run it and the state only gets a fraction of one percent. The casinos are a case in point. If the state contents itself with a very small cut of the action as it does (relying on big campaign donations from the oligarchs they create) keep it illegal.

[Kathleen Chippi]

04:37 PM on 08/24/2010

Okay then here is the law:

25-1.5-106. Medical marijuana program - powers and duties of department

(3) (a) The medical marijuana program cash fund shall be subject to annual appropriation by the general assembly to the department for the purpose of establishing, operating, and maintaining the medical marijuana program established by section 14 of article XVIII of the state constitution. All moneys credited to the medical marijuana program cash fund and all interest derived from the deposit of such moneys that are not expended during the fiscal year shall be retained in the fund for future use and shall not be credited or transferred to the general fund or any other fund..

[commonsense333]

08:48 PM on 08/24/2010

25-1.5-106. Medical marijuana program - powers and duties of department. (3) (a) The medical marijuana program cash fund shall be subject to annual appropriation by the general assembly to the department for the purpose of establishing, operating, and maintaining the medical marijuana program established by section 14 of article XVIII of the state constitution. All moneys credited to the medical marijuana program cash fund and all interest derived from the deposit of such moneys that are not expended during the fiscal year shall be retained in the fund for future use and shall not be credited or transferred to the general fund or any other fund.

(b) Notwithstanding any provision of paragraph (a) of this subsection (3) to the contrary, on the effective date of this paragraph (b), the state treasurer shall deduct two hundred fifty-eight thousand seven hundred thirty-five dollars from the medical marijuana program cash fund and transfer such sum to the general fund.
There is the rest of the story. They apparently CAN take some money out, if I read that correctly?

[commonsense333]

08:48 PM on 08/24/2010

And that is from the 2008-2009 fiscal year, so not sure if it was amended in 2010?

[Kathleen Chippi]

12:35 AM on 08/25/2010

it was illegal then too. (b) was added, if I remember correctly, in July 2009 at the historic 13 hour dept of health meeting. This was the rules and regulations.

The Colorado Constitution actually says:

the fees shall only go to pay "any direct or indirect administrative costs associated
with its role in this program."

[Kathleen Chippi]

02:59 PM on 08/24/2010

Obviously NO one has read Article 18 Section 14 of the Colorado Constitution which specifically states that the money in the medical marijuana program in CO CAN NOT BE USED FOR ANYTHING OTHER than IMPLEMENTING the medical program. It SPECIFICALLY states it CAN NOT BE TRANSFERRED TO THE STATE general fund. Governor Bill Ritter just STOLE 9 MILLION of the 10 MILLION from sick people in Colorado.

This should nauseate ALL Coloradans. On a bright note nausea qualifies Coloradans for their medical cards. Time to visit your doctor!

[lungfish]

02:08 PM on 08/24/2010

duh.

Same goes for CA which has pulled in a tidy sum for its tax coffers... however Los Angeles shot itself in the foot by closing dispensaries while maintaining a liquor store on every other commercial street corner so that those taxable cigarettes and booze can get into the hands of those that need them.

[dmsdzinr]

01:57 PM on 08/24/2010

Just LEGALIZE IT across America ALREADY! Economic Deficit Disaster SOLVED!

[shivabeach]

02:29 PM on 08/24/2010

the problem is(and I agree with you about legalization) your employer can still fire you if its in your blood

[rbot]

11:24 AM on 08/30/2010

Agreed. In addition you cannot travel over state lines with your medicine.

[rdpuck]

01:49 PM on 08/24/2010

News flash.....Colorado suffering from a twinkie shortage
lololololololo !!!!!!

[Vincent Gormley]

01:44 PM on 08/24/2010

Goes to show drinking solves nothing! Ah, now the deficit goes up in smoke! And we thought only Republicans were inhaling on the deficit, pardonez moi so sorry, they've been snortin'.

[LostAnvil]

12:30 PM on 08/24/2010

HELLOOO! the marijuana community has been making this argument for years!! and now, when the states need money... sheesh - there are some basic facts that people need to know in order to sway a state to de-criminalize it - like you cannot overdose on marijuana, you just fall asleep - smokers are not violent - too many people are in jail for marijuana, costing hte states a whole boat load of cash - make similar rules and regulations that are in place for alcohol and it'll all be good

[kinogod]

12:23 PM on 08/24/2010

Pass the dutchie to the left hand side.

[raosn]

12:01 PM on 08/24/2010

Weed is all you need. All you need is weed.

[Duty2DrainU]

10:50 AM on 08/24/2010

I don't smoke it, but makes sense to me. Legalize it already in NY. We need the $$$.

[bluntobject]

11:05 AM on 08/24/2010

Start smoking it, it will make even MORE sense..LOL

[grandma58]

11:51 AM on 08/24/2010

Not every one has to smoke it for it to make sense. I think it is good to have supporters on both sides.

[cheo]

09:29 PM on 08/24/2010

Or eating it, or vaporizing it....don't like smoking it. I know you just meant it as a funny, but in fact smoking is the least efficient method, not to mention the effect on throat and lungs.
The resins on leaves and buds contain all the compounds which make one high as well as the medicinal ones...(some of each is needed for medical purposes) That resin needs heat to be released, but combustion temperature is too hot; most just goes up in smoke--so to speak. The cooking heat needed to render it into butter or oil, tea or whatever is high enough to release all the cannibinoids, but not so high that it burns them up.
At the cost of pot today, (which I hope would come down when legal) makes smoking it a quick but very inefficient way to get your money's worth.
And yes, taxing it like cigarettes, instead of spending massive am'ts of money destroying it and those who use it, would save and make many states a good deal of money. AND provide funds for med. marijuana research.