As a Colorado resident, I was fussing yesterday about all the news about recreational marijuana. It’s the only topic of conversation in this state. However, since we’re breaking new ground, there are a lot interesting facts.
The first is the issue is medical marijuana licenses versus recreational purchases. It’s been possible to get a medical marijuana license in Colorado for some time. The fee has dropped to $15 for the license. There is an additional cost for visiting a doctor that specializes in medical marijuana. Not all doctors do it because there is some liability involved. Still, there are many that will. Their fees tend to be around $100.
Users can now buy pot without the license. Why would anyone continue to get the license? It comes down to taxes. There is a 21% tax on recreational marijuana. It breaks down like this: If you buy a quarter of an ounce, which is around $90, with the tax, you will pay $108.90 in total. If you buy a lot of pot, it’s probably a financially sound investment to get a medical marijuana license.
It will be interesting to see if the medical licenses will get harder to obtain. The state certainly will want as much of that tax residue as they can get. As it stands right now, it’s not hard at all to get a medical medical license. People can very easily obtain them. It’s a bit of a joke around here. The next year will be very interesting as this plays out here and in Washington State.
Image via Wikimedia Commons.
