Colorado Residents Are Happy With Legal Weed: A Decade Later They Especially Praise Positive Economic Impact
More than a decade after Colorado opened its first legal cannabis shops, residents seem to be delighted.
New polling results reveal that the majority (71%) of voters continue to support the legalization of recreational cannabis use. As many as 63% think the tax revenue generated by marijuana sales has been important for the state’s economy.
Earlier this month, the Colorado Department of Revenue reported it has collected more than $2.68 billion in marijuana tax and fee revenue since legal adult sales began in January 2014. As of January of 2024 alone, taxes brought in $43.55 million. The Centennial State was the first to launch recreational cannabis sales in the United States.
“Support for legalization in Colorado has grown significantly since voters made the decision to end prohibition and start regulating marijuana for adult use,” stated Chuck Smith, president of the board of directors for an alliance of cannabis business leaders, Colorado Leads. “We now have more than a decade …