In 2012, by an overwhelming majority, La Plata County approved legalized marijuana. There is no debating that; the residents of this county and Colorado spoke loud and true.
While Durango continues to drag its feet trying to “protect its image,” multiple other counties and cities in this good state are reaping the benefits of legalized sales. Across the board, the impacts are being felt from tourist dollars spent to crime rates falling.
Instead of focusing on the positive impacts Amendment 64 will have in Durango, fear-based politics have taken hold. It is up to the City Council to lead by example and act in honor of the majority of Coloradans who voted in favor of the amendment, as well as protecting the misgivings of those who didn’t. However, it is up to the City Council to offer true transparency – not only the passing of local laws concerning the sale of marijuana, but also the true facts behind it as well.
That means it’s up to the City Council to dispel the “saber rattling” by the uninformed residents of this city. Pot will not hurt Durango, but the politics that are being engaged in surrounding it will.
Walter Cockcroft
Durango
