A chance to protect kids from the marijuana industry
Re: “Legal marijuana: Farewell, frontier; it’s time to move forward,” April 1 news story
The Denver Post accurately noted that the Colorado legislature is scheduled to revamp the state’s expiring recreational and medical marijuana codes. However, the article described this process only in terms of how the state could loosen regulations including allowing out-of-state investors to fund further expansion of the market.
The article ignored the other side of the “sunset review” process, which provides an opportunity to add protections for kids.
The types of marijuana products available in Colorado dispensaries are beyond imagination. Most parents and teachers think of marijuana as a joint or an edible, not as an inhaler, eye drops, or a suppository — all of which have been sold in stores.
Marijuana concentrates — with unprecedented levels of THC, the chemical that makes users high — can be produced and consumed in just about any form, including using products like vape pens, which are often designed to be hidden.
As a nonprofit focused on protecting kids, Smart Colorado urges the state to create a consumer-facing marijuana inventory to comprehensively catalog the products on the market. This online resource would make important information readily available to parents, educators and health care workers — so at least these adults know what’s really out there as they work to protect Colorado kids.
Henny Lasley, Denver
Editor’s note: Lasley is executive director of Smart Colorado
In its “Turning Points for Marijuana” article The Post points out the expanding availability and economic opportunities being made available to the marijuana industry by the legislature and the new governor.
Nowhere is there mention of brain damage to kids. No mention of the documented increase in psychotic episodes or ER visits. No mention of the numbers of Coloradans killed by marijuana impaired drivers. Instead we are presented a drumbeat of money, money, money.
The rush to make drug consumption easier and a permanent part of our culture is a public disgrace and a clear and present danger to the health and safety of the state.
Anthony T. Accetta, Denver
An argument of semantics or dangerous policy?
Re: “5 myths about socialism,” March 31 commentary
With the Democratic field filling up with “democratic socialists,” I guess it was time for The Post to start selling the product to the masses.
The young people have no memory of the brutality of the collapsed regimes around the world. Except for those pesky real time flops in Cuba and Venezuela.
Held as models of how it can work are the progressive European countries. Ask the French “yellow jackets” how well they think it is working.
And of course, there are the Scandinavian countries where everyone is “happy” with their high 38 to 60 percent tax rates.
Yeah, it doesn’t surprise me to see The Post doing its share to help sell the product.
But like the old adage says, it’s still just a pig.
Lou Matis, Arvada
Sheri Berman does dispel some myths (and promulgates a few others) in her op-ed. Referring to democracies that have socialized significant aspects of their societies, she argues that: “If they want to convince Americans … that they have the best solutions … they need to show that their policies can generate substantial wealth and resources.”
The recently-released World Happiness Report ranks happiness of populations of 156 countries, and as usual, Finland and Denmark were at the top of the list with Norway, Iceland, Netherlands, Switzerland, Sweden, New Zealand, Canada, and Austria filling out the top 10. The United States dropped to 18th on the list.
All of the top 10 countries have socialized health insurance, along with various combinations of socialized childcare, old age pensions, higher education while maintaining robust capitalist economies that provide high living standards. I don’t really think there’s much left to prove.
Steve Cramer, Denver
Who is to blame for the poor air quality?
Re: “Heavy commuting into Boulder …” April 1 news story
Guess what guys, Boulder has the same problem as metro Denver. People drive too much. In metro Denver, it is 84 million miles per day, six days per week. EPA is getting ready to lower the hammer on industry because of Denver’s poor air quality. EPA will increase the stringency of industry emissions standards to punish the drivers of metro Denver. Makes sense, doesn’t it? Get someone else to pay for your pollution mess.
Drivers going both ways between Denver and Boulder travel 60 miles per day.
Where I live in NW Colorado, we are under the gun from environmental activists for our coal-fired power plant which emits considerably less pollution than the drivers of metro Denver. Where I live there are two coal-fired power plants with significant air scrubbing technology within 18 miles of my city, yet nobody seems to exhibit the symptoms of air pollution poisoning or even respiratory distress. We are just trying to feed our families, but apparently that is not OK by the environmental activists in Denver.
Ranald H Macdonald, Craig
Emissions are again clouding our city. Well, yes, many more cars are moving to Denver but also it is the building industry and oil industry.
How often, if at all, do the backhoes or excavators get emissions done?
I don’t recall them ever done and many of them are being brought here to keep up with the building boom. Don’t blame just the cars moving in.
Allen Adams, Aurora
Buck is the wrong choice for the GOP I would like to see
Re: “Ken Buck next GOP chair,” March 31 news story
I am the face of the 38 percent of unaffiliated voters, many of whom voted for Democrats (mostly, not all, in my case) in November 2018. As I read about Ken Buck ascending to the state GOP chair, I was far from encouraged.
The election returns could be read no other way than many Coloradans rejecting the Trump GOP, wanting the GOP to grow a spine. Yet Buck and Sen. Cory Gardner are doubling down on their hard-right turn.
So it appears we will see absolutism on the NRA; total rejection of a woman’s right to family planning; 100 percent fealty to the oil and gas industry without any concern for the health and safety of residents; continued focus on “the wall” instead of comprehensive immigration reform that would secure our border through modern technology, create a better/faster asylum process and give DACA kids a path. As well as, continued support for the bullyish and divisive behavior we see coming out of the White House, including berating our allies in the world while embracing dictators like Putin in Russia, Duterte in the Philippines, et al. And now abolishing the Affordable Care Act? Replaced with what? I see no viable plan.
While I’d give anything to see “Republican classic” moderates re-emerge, as it stands now, even with my concerns with Democrats, I see a better chance of corralling Democrats closer to the center and getting things we need done, versus the divisiveness that Buck will bring.
Buck and company are not talking to unaffiliated voters or understanding our concerns. Stop telling us what is wrong with the other side (we’re smart and we see), tell us what you will do instead. Be specific.
John W. Thomas, Fort Collins
Time for HOA reform
Colorado legislators have created many excellent bills that will soon be voted on. My concern is the lack of legislative action on homeowner’s association (HOA) issues. There is still time to consider the following:
The Community Association Manager licensing law expires in July 2019. It needs revision and then reinstatement.
The transfer fee (usually an arbitrary $400 or more fee) is charged by community management companies whenever a condo or home is sold. The fee is for a report that contains only information that’s already on file and should not incur additional expense to the seller.
Current Colorado HOA laws are high-on words but low-on enforcement, except saying “go to court, homeowner,” which is very costly. An effective out-of-court binding dispute resolution for homeowner complaints will cost taxpayers zero. Mediation hasn’t worked. There is no state license; anyone can be a mediator.
The Community Association Institute is a very powerful organization which supports community management companies. In the last 20 years, every proposed HOA bill has been opposed or seriously weakened by this group. It’s an obstacle to HOA legislative reform. I trust that 2019 will be the year when the Colorado legislature considers the wants and rights of the almost 70 percent of Coloradans who are HOA members.
Andrea Antico, Denver
Support gun laws and Garcia’s “no” vote
Re: “Senate President Garcia has no doubts about where his loyalties lie,” Jon Caldara column March 31
Jon Caldara has totally misrepresented the recently passed House Bill 1177, the Extreme Risk Protection Orders bill. This extreme risk law enables families and law enforcement to seek a court order to suspend firearms access to persons who are a danger to themselves and others.
I applaud Leroy Garcia’s vote of “no” with his constituents, but I’m very glad the bill passed anyway. Now Sen. Garcia can go home and talk sensibly and compassionately about gun control legislation. He will be heard by the survivors of victims of gun violence who only wish they could have done something to prevent a horrific event before it happened. I trust the people of his district. I do not trust the NRA and the part of the Republican Party that refuses to save lives on its behalf.
Sara Emrie, Centennial
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