Draft of Project 1

PEER REVIEWERS: Hi, I chose to make a QRG and I would love if you could focus on telling me how the format is, what subheads you think are appropriate and what needs to be added. I would also love if you could comment to say if I am objective or not. Also note that this is a ROUGH draft and I will go into details more, but this is just a skeletal outline. Please tell me what you would like more explanation on, and what what you think I need more/less of. All feedback is welcome! Thank you for reading and I hope I inform you about how the legalization of marijuana has affected the state of Colorado.

LoCricchio, Jianna. "Running with Colorado" 02/07/2016

Amendment 64: The affects of the legalization of recreational marijuana on Colorado

What started it?

On the cold Tuesday morning of November 6, 2012, a buzz was circling through the air of Colorado, waking people up and sending them to the voting booths. People weren’t talking about who they wanted to be president, they were talking about how they wanted to vote on Amendment 64. As the ballots came in, it was looking pretty close but as more and more voted the yes's started to outnumber the no's. The final votes had come in and the Amendment had passed with 55% of the vote. THE RECREATIONAL USE OF MARIJUANA WAS LEGALIZED. The news outlets blew up and starting firing out posts and papers all over the world. Colorado had made history by becoming the first state to end the prohibition of marijuana. For some, you could feel the excitement in the air, and a faint scent of pot took to the normally crisp Colorado air. People we're excited that they were now finally able to grow and buy marijuana (under regulations of course) and they were excited about the change it would bring to their state. Millions of dollars were expected to be brought in as tax revenue off the sales of marijuana to be used to fund the public school system and to help maintain the infrastructure of the state. However people were scared for their children because they didn't want marijuana to become more accessible to minors, and they didn't want to smell the stench of weed everywhere they went. November 6th of 2012 made history. It became the day where Colorado was really put on the map and became a huge tourist destination so people from all over the country, even all over the world, could come to Colorful Colorado and legally purchase marijuana. The 'Pot State' was officially born. 

Who is affected?

Coloradans

• Gives Colorado a new reputation
• increases tourism
• legal to smoke, purchase, and grow marijuana (with strict regulations)
• Brings money and tourism to state
• Changes civil structure (more people, more traffic)

Politicians/Government

• Receives revenue
• Creates rules and regulations
• Has to deal with federal laws
• With legalization comes decriminalization

Schools

• Tax revenue used to fund public education
• "Pot for kids" a slogan used by people who don't like the money going to schools
• Not morally right

Businesses

• Brings money to the state
• Brings tourism, boosting the economy
• Provides jobs
• Affects jails

Medical Facilities

• People use 'medical marijuana' over other medicines
• Marijuana related vehicular accidents send more people to hospital
• Injuries involving marijuana causes problems for users, but increases business for the hospital.

Where is this?

Colorful Colorado is in apart of the midwest in the United States of America. Colorado is known for it's spectacular unique seasons and mountain life, if you're one to adventure, you must adventure there. When I think of Colorado, I think of how beautiful it is, and how you can always see the Rocky Mountains with snow covered peaks. From the suburban life to the mountain life, you are sure to never be disappointed. Every night, the sun sets behind the mountains, causing the sky to turn into a cloud of color, the brightest oranges and florescent violets light up the sky in the most breath taking way possible. On a spring morning, you can watch the frost melt off the grass as the sun starts to warm the grounds and turns a cold snowy morning into a warm spring afternoon, where people will start off wearing boots, and end the day in flip-flops. However, a true Coloradan will be wearing shorts and flip-flops even when there is snow on the ground during an afternoon spring. You can always feel the crispness of the air and in the mountains, you'll never feel like you've breathed fresher air in your entire life. You can taste the water in the air after a dusting of snow, or a twenty minute afternoon rain. You can even wake up in the summer and go to the pool and then watch it hail in the afternoon before blue skies come back for the evening sun set. Colorado is home to some of the best people in the world, from the people of LoDo, to the granolas of Boulder, you always know that you will find someone with a smile on their face, enjoying the beautiful views that Colorado has to offer.

When did this take place?

November 6 2012- Amendment passed

May 28 2013- Governor Hickenlooper signs bills to regulate recreational marijuana

September 2013- The Colorado Department of Revenue makes final regulations for businesses with      the Colorado Retail Medical Code

January 1 2014- Opening of the first retail recreational marijuana stores. 

The original plan?

The goal was to decriminalize marijuana and to bring more funding into the state of Colorado

The Pros

One year later 

Brings in millions in revenue

Marijuana related crimes have fallen
More effective criminal justice and law enforcement

The Cons

One year later

Not morally right

More people smoking weed

Changes how people see the state of Colorado

Brings in many homeless people 

Marijuana related car accidents