According to the Huffington Post and other major networks, Colorado voters have passed Amendment 64, allowing for legal, recreational use of marijuana by adults 21 or over.
The Colorado Governor gave this message on Tuesday:
“The voters have spoken and we have to respect their will. This will be a complicated process, but we intend to follow through. That said, federal law still says marijuana is an illegal drug so don’t break out the Cheetos or gold fish too quickly.”
The passing of this Amendment makes Colorado the first state to end marijuana prohibition in the United States. A fedetal issue however, still looms as the drug is still considered illegal by the federal government. Without a doubt though, this Amendment will be watched closely by the nation and may be a benefactor in the change of an age old ban on marijuana.
Under Amendment 64, marijuana is taxed and regulated similar to alcohol and tobacco. It gives state and local governments the ability to control and tax the sale of small amounts of marijuana to adults age 21 and older.
It will likely be months or up to even a year before this measue will take effect in Colorado as all the federal issues are undertaken. The federal government has been decidingly silent on the issue over the past few years leaving supporters and agents to believe there will not be federal interference in the new measure.
A similar measure in Oregon is projected not to pass.
We will continue to follow this story.
