AmbergrisCaye.com Home Forums About Belize Nation Laws & Taxes Belize to decriminalize marijuana?

Yes, decriminalization can assist with a lot of these folks being able to have a second chance ..... However, it may also lead to legalization and eventually the following statistics.....Sadly in this report college students have little comprehension skills and education levels are dropping. I'm just concerned for the future of our already struggling Belize......BTW: dabunk also makes a very good point.....

Here are the highlights in just three years since legalization:

Marijuana-related traffic deaths increased 48 percent.
Over 20 percent of all traffic deaths were marijuana related compared to only 10 percent six years ago.
Marijuana-related emergency department visits increased 49 percent.
Marijuana-related hospitalizations increased 32 percent.
Marijuana-related calls to the Rocky Mountain Poison Center increased 100 percent.
Diversion of Colorado marijuana to other states increased 37 percent by vehicle and 427 percent by parcels.
Colorado youth now rank number one in the nation for marijuana use and 74 percent higher than the national average.
Colorado college-age group now rank number one in the nation for marijuana use and 62 percent higher than the national average.
Colorado adults now rank number one in the nation for marijuana use and 104 percent higher than the national average.

SOURCE: http://denver.cbslocal.com/2016/08/31/studies-show-results-of-legal-pot-in-colorado/

Or you could look at this data.

In March 2016, U.S. News & World Report named Denver the #1 best place to live in the United States. The only other Colorado metro area large enough to be considered, Colorado Springs, was ranked #5.

In February 2017, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment reported that the rate of marijuana use among adults and adolescents "has not changed since legalization either in terms of the number of people using or the frequency of use among users." Rates of daily or near-daily use among adults were much lower for marijuana than for alcohol or tobacco, and the rate of past-month marijuana use was lower than past-month alcohol use among adolescents. "Based on the most comprehensive data available, past-month marijuana use among Colorado adolescents is nearly identical to the national average," the report concluded. In a December 2015 interview, the head of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), Nora Volkow, acknowledged that marijuana usage rates have not risen despite changes in policy and public attitudes: "All of those factors have led many to predict that there would be an increase in the pattern of use of marijuana among teenagers and we are not seeing it."

The Colorado Department of Education reports high school graduation rates have significantly increased and dropout rates have significantly decreased since 2010.

Regulated marijuana sales generated nearly $200 million in state tax revenue and license fees in 2016, according to the Colorado Department of Revenue. This does not include tens of millions of dollars in local taxes and fees that were raised by cities and towns throughout the state. For example, the Denver city government reports that it received more than $29.5 million from local marijuana taxes and licensing fees in 2015. This was more than enough to cover the city's costs of enforcement, regulation, and education, which were about $6.9 million that year and are estimated to be around $9.1 million in 2016.

The Colorado Legislature distributed approximately $220.8 million in marijuana tax funds in FY 2015-16 and FY 2016-17, according to a July 2016 report from Legislative Council Staff. Less than 10% of those funds ($21.5 million) were needed to cover the costs associated with regulating marijuana. More than $138.3 million was distributed to the Colorado Department of Education to benefit Colorado schools, including $114.9 million for the Building Excellent Schools Today (BEST) public school construction program.

https://www.mpp.org/regulationworks/

Thank you Collyk....Yes, I agree there are advantages to the Colorado economy..... And again personally I say to those who enjoy the high to go right ahead......

However, I will continue to plead with everyone who enjoys a little chemical escape to be responsible. Unfortunately in Colorado people under the influence continue to attempt operating professionally when they should not...... I'm afraid that may happen in Belize.... The article verifies that statistic and also covers the sad results of the younger population under the influence while attending school... Therefore I simply wanted to show the increase in Marijuana related injuries/fatalities since legalization and ask that we have something in place to protect our tourists, our neighbors and my family from being injured by anybody under the influence of any mind altering chemical........

Intk stats conclude weed usage decreased after decrim and legalization , so that should allay your fears, not that people have not been doing all along, what you predict will happen should weed laws be excised. So this is a good thing overall, everyone wins.

Who here on the message board was around before Belize gained independence. I've been told that these drug laws were not inforce back then. I have been told that marijuana usages "way back then" was common and not a big problem. Who knows for sure what it was like then?

Belize Breeze. Few if any arrested. Was only after the US started their useless war on drugs that we allowed them to spray, killing off livestock, poisoning crops and possibly, responsible for cancers in humans and other living creatures. Compare arrest records from then and now.

The bill to decriminalize weed goes to the House next Friday. The process has begun.

I confess, I did not read all posta... but decriminalizin possession would still leave the "criminal" supply chain in charge. Are there plans to address that?

To be clear - is the bill legalizing or decriminalizing ...... ?

Very different.

Diane, I have to get my hands on the bill. The intent was to recommend decrim, after consultations with stakeholders. But the bill might go further in its intent, I've been told. So I'll get a copy beforehand and let you know or we'll all find out on Friday.