Aim #6: Should individual states have the right to legalize marijuana (part 1)? Do Now: Based on what you know right now, do you think states should have the right to legalize marijuana for recreational purposes for people over the age of 21? Why or why not?

1. Why is Pueblo, Colorado referred to as “the Napa Valley of cannabis It is now home to over 90 pot-growing facilities Bob DeGabrielle’s facility (Los Suenos Farms) is 36 acres and has 21,600 plants. It is the largest recreational cultivation facility in the country.

2. How is the growing of marijuana regulated in Colorado? Every plant grown by a licensed operator is entered into a database, outfitted with a radio frequency tag, and tracked from seed-to-sale. 289 cameras track every plant. 22,000 pounds of marijuana are harvested, put in barrels and inspected by the state for quality control.

3. How could it be argued that the new marijuana industry is helping Pueblo County (think in particular about the economic benefits)? Marijuana has created 1,300 jobs and more than 60 businesses in Pueblo. Los Suenos is making $20 million a year

4. How could it be argued that the legalization of marijuana is hurting Pueblo County (think in particular about the effects on newborn babies, teenagers, and the increase in criminal activity)? More babies being born with marijuana in their system (27 in the first nine months of 2016). This can lead to verbal, behavior and memory problems during early childhood. In the first ten months of this year, 71 teenagers came into the emergency room with marijuana in their system (when teenagers use 4-5 times a week, this can cause long-term damage in areas of the brain that help control attention, memory and decision-making). Criminal organizations are coming to Pueblo to grow marijuana illegally for out of state use (Cuban nationals from Florida, Russians from NY, drug cartels from Southeast Asia). There have been 36 drug busts this year. More people are getting high between the wheel – there is currently no field sobriety test for detecting it.

5. How has Colorado learned from early mistakes that were made in legalizing marijuana? How has Colorado benefitted as a result? After a number of people overdosed on marijuana edibles, Colorado implemented new rules, limiting the amount of THC in products (the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana), and requiring new labels detailing the potency of each serving.   Revenue from marijuana brought in $141 million in taxes, and arrests for possession are down almost 50 percent since 2012.

Concluding Question Based on what you learned in the video, would you consider Colorado’s marijuana legalization policies a success? Why or why not? Support your response with specific facts and examples from the video.