cannabisnews.com: Medical Pot Could Save The Bluegrass
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Medical Pot Could Save The Bluegrass
Posted by CN Staff on August 13, 2010 at 17:53:45 PT
Editorial
Source: Gazette
Colorado -- Medical marijuana may be the best hope for the grass in our parks. Most in Colorado Springs are holding their breath and praying for continued rain, as recession-era budget cuts have resulted in a reduction in the city’s ability to irrigate. We can’t depend on rain, which can be scarce, but we can depend on revenue from medical marijuana sales.So far this year, the city has collected $327,500 in sales tax revenue from medical marijuana sales alone. By the end of the year, the city will likely collect more than $600,000. It’s chicken feed, relative to the size of the budget. But it’s substantial, relative to the needs of grass in our parks.
Kurt Schroeder, the city’s manager of parks, trails and open space, told The Gazette this year’s anticipated sales tax revenue from marijuana almost equals the amount of money needed to put the nearly 24 inches of water recommended each year for the city’s 634 acres of neighborhood parks. Under today’s budget constrictions, Schroeder is able to apply only 15 inches of water to the neighborhood parks.“That money could protect a capital resource that’s vulnerable to weather and budget conditions,” Schroeder said.City officials say medical marijauna sales tax revenue and permits could bring $1.2 million to city coffers in 2011 — far more than enough to save the grass.The revenue from medical marijuana sales taxes could fund the ongoing costs of employing eight to 10 new firefighters or cops. It could fill potholes galore. It could pay to operate and maintain 18 Uncle Wilber fountains, while today we can’t afford the one we have. The imagination is the limit.So, should we ban dispensaries in response to irrational fears, scare stories and ominous theories of “Reefer Madness” doom? Absolutely out of the question. The revenue generated by this relatively harmless trade could solve some of the most high-profile budget constraints.Beyond the advantage to our city budget, the medical marijuana trade has put paying tenants into commercial space that was empty. That protects the value of commercial real estate and puts money into the pockets of property owners who spend it throughout the community. Dispensaries have transformed a black market trade, which burdened the public, into a legitimate industry that helps the common good.The case for protecting the medical marijuana trade in Colorado Springs grows stronger as counties and other communities forbid the industry. That’s because people restricted from buying and selling medical marijuana in other locations will gladly travel to cities and counties that allow it. For Colorado Springs, this means the potential of growing sales tax revenues with money from out-of-town — which means we will see primary economic growth.City Council should consider directing money from medical grass to the cost of watering and maintaining bluegrass in our parks. That would make perfectly clear the value of this new sector of production and trade.Source: Gazette, The (Colorado Springs, CO)Published: August 13, 2010Copyright: 2010 The GazetteWebsite: http://www.gazette.com/URL: http://drugsense.org/url/Cn2D8MTCContact: http://drugsense.org/url/xYIC9bglCannabisNews Medical Marijuana Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/medical.shtml
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Comment #3 posted by The GCW on August 15, 2010 at 21:18:59 PT
This is good.
Love the analogy. The conservative people of Colorado Springs must hate it.Very good way to put the issue right out there for even the ignoid to understand. A quality lifestyle / standard of living, requires cannabis.Depend on cannabis; that's what God created cannabis for.
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Comment #2 posted by runruff on August 14, 2010 at 00:55:17 PT
Mr. Rossi, Meet Mr. Alex Fleming!
This is the sort of person who would criticize ol' Al for baking too much bread and letting it go to mold! Because he does not understand, he makes jokes that reveal the depth of his arrogance and ignorance!
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Comment #1 posted by FoM on August 13, 2010 at 19:42:47 PT
Rossi Blasts Use of Stimulus Dollars on Pot Study
 Friday, August 13, 2010Washington State -- A day after sending out a press release making pot jokes when referring to a Washington State University study on marijuana's effect on pain medication, Republican Dino Rossi's U.S. Senate campaign insists he intended no disrespect to medical marijuana research.On Thursday, Rossi released a statement focusing on the two-year project by psychology professor Michael Morgan, whose study involves injecting synthetic cannabinoids along with opiates in rats to see how to improve treatment for people with chronic pain. Cannabinoids are the active ingredients in marijuana.Rossi criticized the $148,000 in federal stimulus dollars granted to Morgan last year, saying taxpayers "are tired of their money going up in smoke" and that instead of creating jobs, the money isn't "going to stimulate anything other than sales of Cheetos."Rossi is seeking to oust incumbent Democratic Sen. Patty Murray.URL: http://drugsense.org/url/gp1OpgDw
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