Colorado has been the guinea pig for the nation, and has spearheaded the way for legalization in this country. Since the inceptions of Amendment 64, residents and tourists alike have reaped the benefits. So have retail recreational shops who opened doors on January 1st, 2014. Although attention wasn’t drawn to Colorado before then, the state has had its ups and downs for quite some time.

Prohibition of marijuana in the country started in 1911. Colorado made the use and cultivation of marijuana a misdemeanor in 1917. After years of debate the decriminalization started in 1975. This slowly lead us to where we are today. The passing of medical marijuana in 2000, and finally recreational in 2012, Colorado has seen a huge influx of tax revenue in the state. $67,594,323 in the first year to be exact! This has left many wondering, where does the money go? While each county can determine their own tax amounts, there are 3 different taxes each county gains revenue from. A set 2.9% sales tax, a “special sales tax on revenue”, and an excise tax all contribute to funding in multiple different ways.

After Pueblo adopted the laws of amendment 64 in 2013, the debate began as to where the money shall be placed. Different departments, such as the Pueblo City County Health Department of Operations, Pueblo Animal Services Operations, and the Pueblo County Community Services Advisory Commission have seen returns from the sales by Pueblo recreational dispensaries. Several scholarships and research on medical marijuana at Colorado State University-Pueblo have greatly benefitted from tax revenue generated by legal cannabis sales as well. As the state continues to cash in the dollars of medical and recreational marijuana sales, the question lingers… has it been worth it?

In 2017 alone, Colorado pulled in $1.51 billion dollars in sales from medical and recreational marijuana. Over $240 million of which went to the state. Since the beginning of recreational sales in the state, Colorado has seen over a half a billion dollars in taxes and fees. With numbers like this, it’s hard ignore the obvious gain. Wether an entrepreneur, a CO native or other states looking to Colorado as an example, it’s safe to say we’ve been, and will continue to be, the proving ground for years to come.