Jacob Sullum on Why Colorado’s Governor Seems to Be Changing His Mind About Marijuana Legalization

Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper. who opposed
marijuana legalization in his state, seems to have had a change of
heart. In a recent interview with Reuters, Hickenlooper
conceded that the consequences of letting people grow, sell, and
consume pot without fear of arrest have not been as bad as he
feared. “It seems like the people that were smoking before are
mainly the people that are smoking now,” Hickenlooper said as
Colorado marked six months of legal recreational sales at the end
of June. “If that’s the case, what that means is that we’re not
going to have more drugged driving, or driving while high. We’re
not going to have some of those problems. But we are going to have
a system where we’re actually regulating and taxing something, and
keeping that money in the state of Colorado…and we’re not
supporting a corrupt system of gangsters.” Jacob Sullum suggests
some reasons for Hickenlooper’s cautious optimism.

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