Iraq War vet makes Colorado's first pot purchase
John Bacon, USA TODAY 4:41 p.m. EST January 1, 2014







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.

But for many, the new law is all about fun.

"Honestly, I thought I'd never see the day," said Errin Reaume of Denver as she shared hits of marijuana at a 1920s-themed "Prohibition Is Over" party in downtown Denver.

There are, of course, limits. Sales are legal in only a handful of the state's 64 counties, along with Denver and less than a dozen other cities and towns. And Amendment 64, the state ballot issue that legalized pot, does not allow public pot smoking. Buyers — and users — must be at least 21 years old, and purchases are limited to an ounce at a time for state residents, a quarter of an ounce for out-of-state buyers. Many stores, concerned about supply, are limiting purchases even more.

Driving while smoking pot is illegal, as is driving under the influence of it. The limit: 5 nanograms or more of THC (delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol, marijuana's active ingredient) per milliliter of blood.

Washington state will begin allowing retail sale of recreational marijuana this spring. Other states are considering it. Pot activists hope the marijuana experiment will prove that legalization is a better alternative than the costly U.S.-led drug war. Skeptics worry the industry will make the drug more widely available to teens, even though legal sales are limited to adults over 21.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/n...shops/4275267/

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