Contributors to this thread:
I set out yesterday for a late-archery hunt for whitetail doe. Upon arriving at an eastern Colorado SWA parking lot to my astonishment The Grapes of Wrath was sharing the parking lot. The husband, wife, horse and cart, and two huskies had been camping there for the last couple of weeks according to the couple. They chatted me up instantly and both were clearly "not right." They had been up north in Steamboat and were on their way to Austin, TX!
This particular SWA is about a 2-hour drive (14-day horse and cart journey:)) for me. Of course, I did not feel comfortable leaving my vehicle alone with these folks so my hunt ended before it started. Not to mention the huskies were non-stop barking which I'm sure affected the deer patterns. The "Christian missionaries" said the local game warden and hunters had been harassing them to leave. I wish the warden had been a bit more forceful!
If they didn't have a habitat stamp/license they shouldn't have been able to stay/camp on the SWA IMO. And there not allowed to stay more than 14 days. (See CPW codes) http://www.sos.state.co.us/CCR/GenerateRulePdf.do?ruleVersionId=3866
I think camping on an SWA, including the parking lot, is expressly prohibited unless the regs for that specific SWA state that it's allowed. When it is allowed the where and when is always stipulated.
I spoke with the wildlife officer overseeing that particular SWA. Apparently, there’s a website for free camping in CO. which includes many SWAs. These vagabonds had been cited for violations but they had only been camping there for 12 days. I’m with Tradi-Doerr, CWP needs to change SWA policy to wildlife stamp and/or license camping only. The officer said this had been a more common issue since legalization of herb??
Did they mention having any relatives camping around Gunnison? We pulled these weirdos out of the mud this summer, 3 adults, 2 kids, 2 chickens (for eggs, duh), and their car and trailer reeked like weed. They were "movin' out to the forest!"...
The legalization brought every undesirable to the state. The 16th Street Mall is an embarrassment to this state. You see a bunch of able-bodied young men holding signs because all they want to do is hang out and smoke weed. Crap like this makes me sick (and I'm in my early 30s). This state is becoming an extension of California--no wonder it's now blue.
Same thing in the SWA's down here in GMU 85 & 851. CPW Officer that contacted a couple of them recently and told them to move along is pretty disgusted with the uptick of homeless people camping in cars in the Bosque as well as the two SWA's (Sakariason & Oberosler) that make up the Spanish Peaks SWA. Trinidad has more dope dispensaries than it does street corners for the panhandlers, not to mention the abundance of homeless camps up and down the Purgatoire. Law Enforcement is overwhelmed with the cost of battling the illegal grows. Yeah, legalization has been a wonderful thing for Colorado.
I ran into a couple guys just yesterday making home at an SWA next to my house. Walked out from goose hunting and they were shuffling around in their SUV. 2 guys, 2 dogs, a cat and a whole lotta mess.
We'll instead of complaining about it why doesn't somebody put it on the ballot to get rid of it.
There are over 2500 marijuana business in Colorado and with more than 900 of these as dispensaries. Medical or REc.
That is more outlets that Starbucks, McDonald, and 7/11 stores combined. $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
Exactly, Paul. Once a government gets a cash inflow, they'll never let go of it.
Try being a young guy driving for work or pleasure through neighboring states. They automatically assume you are carrying something. I always give them a chuckle and tell them that some of us just like to hunt and fish and drink a beer occasionally. They are pretty quick to let you drive off with that response. The profiling has calmed down a bit, thank God.
I think the 14 day limit is applicable to National Forest. Shouldn't be any problem evicting them. if camping is prohibited.
Legally not a probem but the logistics of forcebly removing a group of people and their belongings is a pain in the rear.
What is the government doing with this cash flow?
What is the government doing with this cash flow?
Cash flow of what? Government has no income from pot sales - its a state income
State Government is doing what it does best..........spending it on "higher education" and sanctuary city freebies.
Edit to add, what's the point of evicting them when they move from one to the other on a rotating basis.....I have to buy a stamp to hunt the SWA's, make the deadbeats at least buy a stamp and pay a overnight fee. The problem would be resolved yesterday.
In a discussion about Colorado and cash flow from marijuana, why do you ask what cash flow, and think I meant federal government? Where did that come from?
You live in Colorado and don’t know what the STATE government is doing with pot sales.... errr cash flow?
C’mon man
As far as I know, nothing is being done with the "cash flow"... Schools receive federal funding, so they don't want /aren't permitted to recieve it. Banks are federally insured, so they won't handle it. I think using legal drug money for schools was part of the bill of goods sold to CO to pass the amdendmant initially.
Actually schools do get monies from pot sales via a BEST grant program.
See link
Only 5 percent from pot in the best grant. 87 from State land trust. That's laughable.
IIRC, when they proposed the lottery, the proceeds were supposed to go to schools & open space (?) Or something like that. Something everyone (that votes) would "go for". That's the way the ballot measure was written. Unfortunately there was apparently an "expiration clause" tucked away in the fine print and now little if any of that money still goes to schools. Or perhaps it was some other legislative "re-allocation" permission that wasn't even in the ballot wording. When they proposed "Legalized Marijuana', I ( & most, I suspect) assumed it meant weed. Not hash, hash oil, or even more potent concentrated nearly pure versions ( "Dabs"). I've observed the effects of those concentrates. It can be devastating - something like the difference between aspirin & morphine. "Bait & switch" seems to be the rule of the day. We were sold another bill of goods.
I wasn't! I didn't vote for that ballot measure. I will keep my track record intact by voting no on every ballot measure. Unless they want to bring back trapping on the ballot measure and try to legalize it.
8pointer, I miss my MB 550’s and a bouncing coyote in the morning. Even dark blue Illinois allows trapping (but they did make us release the bobcats).
I work near 16th Street Mall. What KSCowboy said.
I have a friend who is a city girl. Lives in San Francisco and travels to Denver for work. She is a tough, street smart ghetto handling woman. She said 16th street went to hell and it is now scary. Another friend of mine used to take his kid up to 16th street for the Halloween festivities. He is also a very street smart ghetto handling guy, grew up in the hood in NYC. He also said 16th street is very sketchy and he no longer will take his kid there.
That's odd. I went over to 16th Street Mall last week. Doesn't seem sketchy to me. I'd take my 8 year old there.
input sarcasm............Yeah that 16th street mall is real sketchy and much worse than any NYC ghetto.
input sarcasm........The legalization of marijuana has really made this state go to hell. None of the 80 million in marijuana tax revenue given to schools up to 2016 hasn't done anything to help our schools.
Take a look at the BEST money being given to school districts this year for new schools and upgrades to existing schools. All money that CO residents didn't pay for unless you gamble or buy pot.
A good majority of CO residents were smoking pot long before the legalization of it. The only difference is the growers and drug dealers were the only ones benefitting.
That darned devil's lettuce...
There were plenty of stoners in Colorado before it was legal. Now there are plenty more transplant undesirable deadbeat stoners because it is legal. Talk to the people in Buena Vista about all the great pot money for building new schools. They didn't get any, and a build a new school tax was voted in last month.
PECO.
You should read up on the requirements for schools to get POT MONEY from the BEST grants. The BEST grants are awarded on many factors but most of them depend on the communities ability to raise enough tax based funds. Therefore the schools in the more rural, lower income based communities get awarded the grants. Aurora, Douglas County and El Paso County schools don't get this money based on this but why should they when there are rural communities struggling to keep schools open due to their declining tax base. You have no argument with Buena Vista School. My bet is if Buena Vista Schools got some of the weed money then you'd be fine with it?
I don't think the rural school districts that were awarded $70,000,0000 this coming year are too disappointed. $70,000,000 that wouldn't of been there without "stoners". Who cares if people choose to smoke weed? At least our schools benefit from some of it instead of only the growers and dealers before it was legal.
Think about it.
I'm not against rec mj. Some of my best friends are "stoners". I may start toking some day when I am finished ruining my liver, so I'm not judging. I am against the deadbeats turning 16th st into Haight/Asby. I have been looking more into how much money the state brings in and what they are doing with the "pot" money.
PECO, I hope you and your family have a great new years and a prosperous 2018.
With my job being intimately involved with public school capital construction I see the benefits of the MMJ taxes every day. I realize that there are obviously some negatives with this new law but feel the positives outweigh the negatives. I see a lot of lower income tax based school districts really seeing a positive improvement in what was not long ago a very bleak future. They were faced with shutting down aged schools and consolidating multiple districts resulting in kids commuting up to 50-70 miles just to go to school. The recent input of MMJ tax funds have provided new schools or improvements needed to keep some of these rural schools operating.
I see this as a positive to CO no matter what is happening on the 16th street mall.
I am one that voted against the legalization of pot sales. Now, I watch middle school kids walking past the back of my house getting high on their way to and from school at the Century Middle School in Adams 5-Star School District 12. Plus, high school kids driving around passing joints back and forth. Would someone here that has a brain that works tell me the benefits that pot is for our young kids?
That's weird. The legal age is 21. Doesn't seem like high school or middle school kids should fit that bill. Seems to me like they'd be doing that regardless of it being legal for adults.
"That's weird. The legal age is 21. Doesn't seem like high school or middle school kids should fit that bill. Seems to me like they'd be doing that regardless of it being legal for adults."
LOL. You are stoned if you really believe that. Now that it is so easy to obtain, of course the younger than legal people will have easy access to it. Much more than if it were illegal. You guys in Colorado are screwing up the heads/brains of lots of young people. But it is OK, "because they could get it anyway" and MAN, look at all that money!!!
And I am absolutely FOR medical MJ. Too much evidence that it is a better and safer drug that what is being used in many cases.
https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2014/02/25/282631913/marijuana-may-hurt-the-developing-teen-brain
Plenty of evidence of that you are making a really, really bad mistake
Interesting. When I was in high school and college in the early '70s, lots of kids smoked pot. In college pretty much everyone smoked back then, including many top scholarship athletes. Kids smoked on the way to class, on the "green" on campus, at concerts, at parties, and in cars outside bars (or in the alley behind). Obtaining it was as easy as making a phone call or meeting somebody in the school parking lot. Joints and pipes were passed around at every party.
I didn't try it until later but knew plenty who did at an early age. The Valedictorian and Salutatorian of my senior class were MAJOR stoners all through high school. One went on to become a renowned scientist, the other a doctor. Two famous scientists (in their field) who I know well are still daily tokers in their 60's. Almost all of us benefit from their discoveries and patents every day.
Pot is bad for developing brains. No question about that. But legality for adults has nothing to do with use by underage kids who want to use it, just as with alcohol.
Txhunter58, right back at you with a link about the dangers of alcohol on developing teenage brains. http://www.drugfreeworld.org/drugfacts/alcohol/understanding-affects-on-body.html
You folks in Texas are making a really, really bad mistake with your legalization of alcohol.
Yep, we are Jaquomo. But 2 wrongs don't make a right.
You are also right about another thing. Both are drugs. And remember, the MJ of today is not the same stuff your Valedictorian, etc used. The THC is MUCH higher in the current products
And, "they can get it anyway" is never a valid argument. FACT: MJ use is up in young people where recreational use is legal.
Sure, and there's Wild Turkey 101 and 3.2% beer. Someone drinking a shot of Wild Turkey vs someone drinking a 12 pack of beer. Back then people smoked a whole joint. Today they take a toke. People don't "OD" on pot. They eat a bunch of Doritos and go to sleep on the couch. Smoking and driving? Different issue. Same with meth and driving. Meth is illegal and should be. Same with heroin and other opioids. That doesn't stop the epidemic, does it?
They don't know if use is "up" because nobody ever did unbiased surveys of teenagers back then. The people studying the metrics also acknowledge that the poll responses today in non-legal states are skewed vs. those in states where it's legal. That may be "your fact" but bit isn't necessarily a fact. Asking a teenager if he's breaking the law and expecting an honest answer? Right... Just like background checks for gun ownership. As my FFL friend told me, "nobody smokes pot in Colorado..". Remember, if polls were accurate, Hillary would be president in a landslide.
Hold firm to your beliefs, but also don't become bitter and frustrated and deeply judgmental because you are on the wrong side of societal will on this issue.
Not frustrated and judgemental at all. But I firmly believe that we will look back on this and wish we hadn't made it so easy for our young people (as a society)
I believe in science, and the science says this product is a good DRUG for lots of issues. Pain, seizures, etc, Fantastic drug. Recreational. Not so much.
Txhunter, understood. I guess our disagreement is in the first part of your statement. Its still illegal for "young people" to buy and possess it, just as always. Its illegal to sell it to them, as always. So nothing has changed. For adults, instead of calling a friend and going to their house to buy it, they go to a dispensary where that same friend may now be working. Young people just call someone's friend who has pot for sale. No easier than it always was.
In your state, everyone who wants to smoke pot knows a bunch of people who also do it, and it's easy to buy. When I worked construction in Houston way back when, it took the pot guys on our crew about a day to find a steady connection.
The difference is in our state the money provides thousands of legit jobs and stays in the system. Tax money funds schools and other projects. In your state the money goes to the Mexican drug cartels and other organized criminal enterprises. I don't understand the logic in that, nor the logic in spending millions on law enforcement and ruining someone's life with prison for doing something that's legal in a bunch of states, which the majority of Americans now believe should be legal everywhere for adults.
My daughter manages a dispensary and she's as legit as they come. Never been in trouble of any kind, honor student, talented and very bright, self-supporting and working her way up in the industry. She fills me in on the realities of the whole situation. When she was in high school before it was legal, a large percentage of her friends smoked sometimes. These were the "smart kids", AP and IB students. She laughs at the notion that legalizing it has made it easier for underage kids to obtain.
So I now see where you are coming from.
From my perspective, I asked my daughter (who is now 26) that went to Westlake high school in Austin (arguably the most liberal city in Texas) how easy/prevalent was it in high school and college in Texas. Her answer: Almost nonexistent in high school. She was never offered any in high school. However: Very easy/prevalent in college. Her major interest in high school was music and majored in music in college I still suspect that holds across Texas for the most part. Neither way either one of us can prove who is right. But I believe it is no where as prevalent in Texas high schools as it is in Colorado.
I will take my chances with the stoned campers at a parking area far sooner than I will with some drunk gun toting rednecks at the same parking area!
If that isn't loaded language I dont' know what is.
