It looks like all those legal pot shops may not be as profitable for Colorado after all.

Colorado may have to refund $30 million of the more than $50 million it collected in taxes from marijuana sales over the course of 2014. The money would go directly into the pockets of state residents in the form of tax rebates, thanks to a constitutional amendment that limits taxes collected.

Taxes on marijuana currently add 30% or more to the price of pot, depending on the jurisdiction. Legal weed sales now face return because of a 1992 voter-approved constitutional amendment called the Taxpayers' Bill of Rights requiring all new taxes to go before voters.

The amendment requires Colorado to pay back taxpayers when the state collects more than the amount permitted by a formula based on inflation and population growth. Over the years, Colorado has issued refunds six times, totaling more than $3.3 billion.

Surprisingly, both Democrats and Republicans agree that the money should not be returned to taxpayers. The issue may have to be settled by asking Colorado voters, for a third time, to cast a ballot on the issue and exempt pot taxes from the refund requirement.

"I think it's appropriate that we keep the money for marijuana that the voters said that we should," said Republican Senate President Bill Cadman.

"This is a little bit of a different animal. There's a struggle on this one," added Sen. Kevin Grantham, one of the Republican budget writers.

Lawmakers have a little time to figure out how to proceed. They will consider pot refunds and a separate refund to taxpayers of about $137 million after receiving final tax estimates that are due in March.

While the exact numbers aren't yet available, Colorado's governor's budget writers predict refunds could amount to around $30.5 million, or about $7.63 per adult in Colorado. Legal marijuana sales in Colorado began on Jan. 1, 2014.

Bonus

If the state is able to keep the money, here's a look at some of the things that the money from legal weed could buy:

Image: CHRISTOPHER MINESES/MASHABLE

Additional reporting by The Associated Press.

BONUS: 12 GIFs for stoners celebrating marijuana legalization