Don’t over-think the marijuana rules

As most people in a relationship understand, it’s not always what is said that drives a discussion but sometimes what is not. That appears the case with the current Crested Butte Town Council debate over what restrictions to put on the legalization of recreational marijuana.
There will be another chance for public comment on the issue at this Monday’s council meeting. Two weeks ago at the first public hearing opportunity, I think the council expected a packed house with hours of discussion. They had hours of discussion (that’s what this council does) but the house was “packed” with more council candidates than citizens lining up to speak about the dangers or benefits of marijuana legalization.
And that lack of immediate comment speaks volumes. The public message was sent loud and clear at the last election. People in this valley, and particularly in Crested Butte, are comfortable with marijuana being sold and regulated like alcohol. They want adult rules and reasonable regulations. We all want that.
Having said that, let’s be clear that the discussion being held by the town council is a valuable one. Trying to figure out a new rule set for a product categorized by the feds as being the same as heroin and meth takes some real thought. But the citizens and voters of the state and town are on the forefront of reality. That reality is that marijuana is nowhere near being in the same box as things like heroin and other Schedule-1 drugs. That doesn’t mean it should be sold next to the Monster High dolls or Furbies but it should be treated like an adult product.
The reality is that unlike alcohol, no one has ever died of a marijuana overdose. Some local law enforcement officers and emergency medical technicians in the valley have told me privately—and some have voiced it publicly—that they would much rather deal with someone who is stoned rather than drunk. While alcohol might fuel tempers and violence, marijuana consumption does not. No one wants someone drunk or stoned driving a car and like sugar, you probably shouldn’t overindulge in either tequila or cannabis.

The Crested Butte council is leaning toward allowing retail marijuana sales in the appropriate business districts. That is a good move. As was discussed at the last meeting, hiding it does indeed make it more alluring for the average teenager. Marijuana does change behavior and alter the mind. That’s one reason people use it but that’s not always good, especially for developing teenagers and kids. The overlying premise as this discussion winds up should be to treat it like an adult product.
A large part of the current council marijuana debate is how to regulate images and words to keep it from being attractive to kids. We don’t need Joe Camel’s cousin Diesel Dan touting the Dank Bud on Mountain Express signs, but kids in this town are pretty smart. Just like seeing someone with a buzz in the Barmuda Triangle or at most costumed town events like the Vinotok fire or the Al Johnson, our children have been exposed to weed if they’ve ever been downtown or on the ski hill. If you ride the chairlift and have a nose you know there is weed in them ‘thar hills. The council can’t regulate that. It is up to the parents. So don’t bother spending a lot of time going all “James Dobson Focus on the Family” on us if you’re already going to allow the sale of weed in town. Keep it real and treat it as a product for adults.
So the council is doing the right thing by putting regulations on this new road being driven in Colorado. We trust the county commissioners will do the same thing. And we understand being a little tentative about this whole deal. But as the people said to you last November by their vote and last week by their quietness, don’t over-think it all and just do the adult thing. Treat it like the legal drug called alcohol.