World News Korner

Yesterday was the first day to purchase legal pot in Colorado. There was some excitement.

Iraq war veteran Sean Azzariti making Colorado's first legal marijuana purchase.

Courtesy of USA Today:

The new year got a little happier for pot smokers in Colorado on Wednesday as the nation's first retail outlets for recreational marijuana opened their doors.

"Marijuana does not have to be a burden to our communities," said Betty Aldworth, deputy director of the National Cannabis Industry Association. "Today in Colorado we shift marijuana from the underground into a regulated market."

The first sale, orchestrated as a news media photo opportunity, was made to Sean Azzariti, an Iraq War veteran who has lobbied publicly for legalization and says pot helps mitigate problems stemming from his post-traumatic stress syndrome. Azzariti, who served six years in the Marine Corps and two tours in Iraq, spent about $60 at 3D Cannabis Center for an eighth of an ounce of "Bubba Kush" and a pot-laden truffle.

"Today I was fortunate enough to be the first recreational cannabis purchase in the world," Azzariti tweeted. "We did it!!"

Aldworth said pot sales in the state are expected to reach $400 million this year. More than $40 million in tax revenue is targeted for public schools. Dozens of shops are opened or will open soon. She spoke of jobs, tax dollars and peace of mind for marijuana smokers.

Hundreds of people lined up to purchase the newly legal pot.

Many of the customers turned up before dawn.

So much for the old adage about pot users being lazy.

This is actually one of the issues that I do not always see eye to eye with my liberal friends.

Personally I have never been a drug user.

Oh I dabbled a little when I was a young man, but it as never my thing.

I don't have any serious problems with it, however I did have a number of family and friends who started with pot before taking the plunge into more dangerous recreational drug use.

Some did not come out the other end.

However to be fair my family historically has a much bigger problem with alcohol than with drugs.

For me it is one glass of wine a night, and that is about the extent of it. Hopefully that does not damage my liberal creds too badly.

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