Story By: Jordan Wubbena Picture By: Braxton Cover
Looking for a fresh new story for The Growl, I Googled “success in Colorado.” I was thinking I would likely come across topics like, The Broncos: The new Super Bowl Champions. Instead, I came across two full pages of the success of legalizing marijuana.
Why is it that even though Colorado has produced more than 45 Olympians, is the headquarters of at least 113 major corporations, has produced famous musicians including John Denver, has been the setting for about 35 movies, and has produced Stanley Cup and Super Bowl Champions, that marijuana dominates my search?
More importantly, what does that say about our society?
There’s no doubt about it—pot is a hot topic. Whether it’s a conversation about legalization laws or the celebrities who use it, the drug seems to be more popular than ever.
Some would argue that the legalization of marijuana in Colorado on Nov. 6, 2012, was indeed a success. Supporters will say that marijuana can help people with their pain levels, that the drug helps treat diseases such as type 2 diabetes and seizure disorders, and that sales tax revenue is funding schools and boosting the economy.
“Right now, the US spends roughly $7.7 billion a year on enforcing the marijuana ban. Leading economists believe that…taxing it would pull in at least $6 billion more per year,” according to an article on the website, cdllife.com.
There are many beneficial things about marijuana and it’s legalization, but that does not make it Colorado’s premiere success. There are too many negative ramifications from its legalization.
Citizens, directly and indirectly, have been affected through smoking marijuana legally and illegally. According to a 2013 study from the National Institute on Drug Abuse of middle and high school students, rates of marijuana use have steadied in the past few years after several years of increase.
However, many young people believe marijuana use is not as risky as once believed. Because marijuana was legalized for recreational purposes, ‘Along with the cool factor, many teens simply don’t think of weed as a dangerous drug.’ According to an article by the Huffington Post.
Huge success in Colorado shouldn’t be mostly associated with marijuana. A state should be represented by good deeds and extraordinary enterprises that it has accomplished.
Success in Colorado should involve topics such as the Broncos and their victory in the Super Bowl or Soccer for Success, a free afterschool program that uses soccer as a tool to address children’s health issues. There are also a list of other amazing things happening in Colorado. Many Olympians who competed in Sochi were from Colorado, such as Mikaela Shiffrin, American World Cup alpine ski racer and Arielle Gold a gold medalist at the FIS Junior Snowboarding World Championships. Another success that should be recognized in Colorado is Boulder being one of the healthiest cities in the nation.
These accomplishments should define Colorado and its people, not the acceptance of Marijuana. Success should be based around something that undeniably benefits its citizens.
Counting the legalization as one of the biggest success in Colorado should not exist. Even though the legalization marijuana does have some benefits, it also has its drawbacks. This not only affects the way people see Colorado, but the people and teens in it—and that’s not success.