The American state of Colorado is not only capitalizing on its beautiful skiing slopes, deep waters and wild animals to boost its tourism. Thanks to the recent legalization of the sale of marijuana the rocky mountain state can attract more visitors not only from the USA but from other parts of the globe.
The legalization has brought about mixed reactions with some people being very happy as a result of this move while others are a bit reserved wondering how it will work out for the state.
Big Money
Obviously there are many people who like the idea of walking freely into a shop to get marijuana instead of going backstreet and fearing arrest. This means that retail stores that deal with marijuana will most likely make a lot of cash. This is great for the state’s budget because the stores will pay taxes which will go back to the government.
More Tourists
The sale of marijuana will probably increase the number of tourists who visit Colorado every year. Although most people will only be going in for the weed they might get interested in other sights and attractions that the state has to offer which is great for the tourism sector. People who come from far will definitely have to book accommodation in hotels and other establishments that offer the services which could help boost business in a huge way.
Tarnished Image
Despite the fact that there are some positive aspects that come from this move, there are also some concerns that have been raised by locals. One of them is the fact that it could end up tarnishing the reputation of the state. Jennifer Rudolf from Colorado Ski Country USA had some concerns especially for people who think of the place as the ideal location for a great family vacation. Most parents would not want their children around people who are smoking pot thus might end up cancelling their trip to the state to be on the safe side.
Numerous Restrictions
Another disadvantage of this move is the fact there are numerous restrictions that are accompanied with the legalization of pot sale. For instance, most skiing resorts will not allow the retail shops that deal with the product to set shop close to them. This means that if a person is interested in purchasing the product they will not go to the shops in the historic downtown but will have to look for the right stores in the outskirts. Police officer Chief Joel Jay from Steamboat Springs Police also said that lighting up in public is still not allowed. This means that people will have to look for private spots where they can smoke marijuana freely.
first thing ,, colorado is not the only state that has marijuana,, its the only state that you can go in a place of business and purchase marijuana legally.. ive smoked 23 years,, but it helps my nerves and makes me sleep better,, i have problems sleeping and i would never touch pills,, and im driving 22 hours to colorado for my family vacation...one good thing,, i dont have to bring my marijuana with me thats just great ,i can get some when i get there,,.im not coming to just smoke marijuana,,i can smoke marijuana here,, being illegal doesnt stop nobody and its close as the store !!! !! but me and my kids are going hiking, camping,concert at red rocks !! probably try to find some souvenir