Colorado Drug Investigators Concerned Over Legalizing Marijuana
DENVER (CBS4)- The head of the Colorado Drug Investigators Association believes that voters in Colorado were duped by Amendment 64 and that legalizing marijuana will be a fiasco.
The harsh prediction comes as Gov. John Hickenlooper sets up a task force to deal with implementing the measure on the state level and corresponding with federal law which maintains that marijuana in any form or amount is illegal.
"It's going to create a huge fiasco," said Colorado Drug Investigators Association spokesman Ernie Martinez.
Martinez believes marijuana will be too easy to obtain.
"We're going to see a marked increase among drug use for youth and teens for the simple reason availability is going to increase," said Martinez.
The concerns include the availability of marijuana in shops and cafes, being legal for convicted felons and the mentally ill, difficulty controlling residential growing and car accidents involving people under the influence.
"Like big tobacco duped the public into thinking tobacco is good for you, the voters were duped into voting that marijuana was good for them," said Martinez.
Others perceive a different future with legalization of marijuana.
"This measure is going to show people that legalization is positive, safe, saves us money, keeps the courts from being clogged up with marijuana cases," said attorney Rob Corry.
Correy also predicts that marijuana tourism will soon make Colorado a destination.
Municipalities will get the chance to ban legalized marijuana in their communities.
According to Amendment 64, "A locality may prohibit the operation of marijuana cultivation facilities, marijuana product manufacturing facilities, marijuana testing facilities, or retail marijuana stores through the enactment of an ordinance or through an initiated or referred measure; provided, any initiated or referred measure to prohibit the operation of marijuana cultivation facilities, marijuana product manufacturing facilities, marijuana testing facilities, or retail marijuana stores must appear on a general election ballot during an even numbered year."
The wild card on the table is that pot remains illegal under federal law and all eyes are on the Department of Justice.
According to the CDIA website, "The Mission of the Colorado Drug Investigators Association (CDIA) is to unite peace officers and other professionals who share a common interest in drug enforcement, in a collaborative effort to reduce the supply and demand of illicit drugs and illegally diverted legal drugs by providing quality training, open information exchange and speaking with one voice in support of effective legislation."
