Marijuana Madness! - The Colorado Pot Surge

Image credit: www.thedenverchannel.com

If you live anywhere even remotely close to the state of Colorado, then you've heard about the major waves being made by the booming marijuana business. Five years ago, it was unheard of to be able to walk into a brick-and-mortar marijuana dispensary - one built solely for recreational and not just medicinal purposes - plop down $20 and walk out with some of the highest-grade ganja available anywhere.

But now, it's become so commonplace that it seems impossible to drive more than a few city blocks in downtown Denver without seeing some advertisement or storefront showcasing deals on the many different strains of pot available through these new outlets. What was once a shadowy, black-market substance only attainable by those with a connection to a 'dealer' is now as pervasive as alcohol and tobacco. And, I would argue, it's just as accessible.

This new market is colossal. In fact, in August of 2015, recreational pot sales broke the 60 million dollar mark, and that's not even counting the revenue generated from medical sales of the drug. But it's not just the sale of the drug itself that is raking in fresh cash for Colorado businesses; there are newly-forming cottage industries surrounding weed that are cropping up (pun intended) seemingly everywhere.

There's Pyrex and glass smoking implements (pipes, bongs, hookahs).
There's rolling papers and blunt wraps.
There are marijuana grinders and custom-made storage containers.
There are cleaning products and even bong cleaning services available.

Image credit: MedicalMarijuanaBlog.com

And, the marijuana itself has been refined and reduced down to an extract known as 'wax' or 'shatter' (see image to the right). This is the newest advent in consuming the drug - the user subjects the marijuana extract to extreme heat using a red-hot prod in a process known as 'Dabbing', to produce smoke that contains much more THC than traditional methods of smoking pot.

In the wax or shatter form, the drug is much more concealable and less odorous, allowing for more covert methods of transporting and storing it.

What does all of this mean for the average Colorado resident, who may or may not himself indulge in marijuana? Well, one thing is for sure, it means a hell of a lot more state revenue for education and drug policy expenditures. It may take a few years, but eventually the public school systems in Colorado will start seeing some very real, tangible results from the legalization of pot.

It also means big-time increases in the tourism business that the state of Colorado has already enjoyed for decades.

There are cultural changes taking place, also. The typical 'stoner' stereotype that has long been associated with regular users of marijuana is changing. Now, it's not so unheard of for business professionals to relax by smoking a joint or two at the end of the day, in lieu of their few glasses of wine. Young, tech-savvy workers coming to Denver for jobs are bringing with them their progressive views of and penchants for enjoying marijuana. They're earning real money in a thriving city while being able to enjoy a pastime that is still wholly illegal in most other parts of the country.

I've personally been in Colorado for almost 10 years. I've never considered myself a 'pot-head', but I've enjoyed the occasional puff of pot every now and again. But anytime I decided to do so - up until now, that is - I was always paranoid about getting caught, or somehow being viewed as a lesser human being for enjoying the high afforded by marijuana.

Now with that tension gone, life in Colorado is all that much more enjoyable. I think I'll stick around for yet a while longer, still. :)