Another want to move to CO thread

[greenpinky]

I lived in Colorado a few years befor mmj... people smoked in the parks.. even in front of mc Donalds...do not belive all these guys saying its a hard industry to get in to... if u have passion and drive there will be a place for u to grow... watch and see how colorado becomes the new amsterdam.. cheaper nicer people and great for tourist... I live now in new mexico... bet ur ass I'm going to have some summer property in Colorado. ..I just wana live where u don't have to look over ur shoulder to grow a plant that might be one of the greatest medicines of our time.....

 

[PermaBuzz]

New Mex eh? In many ways I like New Mex better than Colorado - legalized weed aside.
Colorado is a bit too trendy for me - and too crowded, too much traffic on I-70, too many yuppies, and too many ppl who are all giddy and proud to be living there. And it seems no matter how off the beaten track I get, you cant get away from the hordes of uber prepped outdoor enthusiasts complete with shiny toyota trucks and $3K+ mountain bikes. And although its usually sunny, the winters can be harsh.

With the exception of Sante Fe area, New Mex seems less trendy and more salt of the earth. The mountains arent as spectacular but there seems to be a vibe there that Colo doesnt exactly have. Maybe its just all that adobe architecture LOL. And the winters are a bit better though not by much.
There is also more poverty there and an abundance of drunk drivers and other riff raff unfortunately. Its not as progressive as Colo. And the real estate still is suprisingly expensive there unless its total prairie nothingness.

Still, I like New Mex and would go there in a sec is they followed Colo's lead with MJ.

 

[Jhhnn]

I lived in Colorado a few years befor mmj... people smoked in the parks.. even in front of mc Donalds...do not belive all these guys saying its a hard industry to get in to... if u have passion and drive there will be a place for u to grow... watch and see how colorado becomes the new amsterdam.. cheaper nicer people and great for tourist... I live now in new mexico... bet ur ass I'm going to have some summer property in Colorado. ..I just wana live where u don't have to look over ur shoulder to grow a plant that might be one of the greatest medicines of our time.....

Toking up in public can get you a fine, and toking up on federal property, like national forests, allows Smokey to turn stupid on you if he wants. It's definitely good for a roust if the Ranger spots you.

At this point, it all depends on the attitude of local police. Sometimes, they know & see nothing. Other times & places, they put on their dick suit. Widespread use of surveillance cams complicates issues after the fact.

Discretion is the better part of valor, always.

The problem with trying to get into the market is that it's already crowded, and that A64 gave existing dispensaries the inside track on retail. Even if the Feds stay out of it, outlaw growers will be treated like moonshiners to protect the state's interest, collecting taxes. There's a lot of big money getting behind legal growing, and they'll have the clout to influence enforcement, bet on that.

It's a double edged deal, still the best in the country. There are a lot of undecided issues, so I'll try to leave that up to people who have more balls than brains to sort out with the authorities.

 

[monsoon]

Like McDonalds, it's NOT a hard industry to get in to....and the pay is the SAME. If folks wanna work for minimum wages and take those kinda if risks fir such low pay...nobody is stopping them. (cept maybe the DEA @ some point).

Yeah...folks DO smoke in the parks....and lotsa cities and towns are working up stiff fines for those who get caught doing such things. Like working in the industry, folks can do what they want, they just need to realize such actions may come with consequences and are NOT part of the new law here. It's like beer....you can buy it legally...but nobody wants to see you drinking I or actin stupid in the park when you do....so it isn't allowed in the park. (or anywhere else in public) What I don't understand is why some folks feel such a need to be seen anyway?

And Amsterdam? How so? Funny how it's the folks who don't live here or who once lived here who are making such claims and who are dissecting "how it is", huh? Try again.

LOL. Like the lady from Oklahoma who ran into me (literally) on the sidewalk as she was storming out of the local MMJ shop here...flustered that they wouldn't sell her weed and ranting about "so much for it being LEGAL here...what a bunch of shit"...

the guy behind the counter says it is happening about 10X a day now...

 

[saluki]

lol. I get that all the time when I tell people I'm from Canada.

Isn't it Legal in Canada ? I went there everyone was smoking it, outside schools, in parks. :x


Hell in Quebec, it isn't even decriminalized.

 

[DTFuqua]

I thought about New Mexico but have found that property taxes are in a mess. Something about not being able to raise taxes on existing land owners so new owners get an outrageous tax bill to make up for it.

 

[Marshmello]

There are plenty of cheap properties available in Colorado that could be amazing.
The biggest issue any new property owner faces in the state is without doubt, water. Drilling a well or two on a property could get pricey real quick. A minimum for any property I would consider purchasing would be Well, Septic and Power to the property.
Colorado has some of the most ridiculous water laws you could ever imagine. It is Illegal in the state to collect rainwater or snow melt. You are to let it take it's natural course and enter the water table and go to those with water "rights". A good amount of which goes to some jabroney out of state. People have killed each other out here over water. Diverting an irrigation ditch or creek, stealing water can have serious consequences. The fact that SW states gets so much of the state water and it is deeded from wayyyy back is simply ridiculous to me. Colorado has been in a drought just as long as the rest of the country yet, responsible to fulfill some other states needs? GTFOH.
However, feel free to walk around with an ounce in your pocket.

 

[Jhhnn]

There are plenty of cheap properties available in Colorado that could be amazing.
The biggest issue any new property owner faces in the state is without doubt, water. Drilling a well or two on a property could get pricey real quick. A minimum for any property I would consider purchasing would be Well, Septic and Power to the property.
Colorado has some of the most ridiculous water laws you could ever imagine. It is Illegal in the state to collect rainwater or snow melt. You are to let it take it's natural course and enter the water table and go to those with water "rights". A good amount of which goes to some jabroney out of state. People have killed each other out here over water. Diverting an irrigation ditch or creek, stealing water can have serious consequences. The fact that SW states gets so much of the state water and it is deeded from wayyyy back is simply ridiculous to me. Colorado has been in a drought just as long as the rest of the country yet, responsible to fulfill some other states needs? GTFOH.
However, feel free to walk around with an ounce in your pocket.

Here in the West, water is liquid gold & treated accordingly. Much of the area is semi-desert or outright desert.

We sit at the head of every major western watershed, and there's a long history of water rights issues with downstream users who have legit historical claims to their water. Older water rights supercede younger ones by custom & law. There are various compacts & agreements that have been in force since before any of us were born, meaning that Colorado is obligated to deliver certain amounts of water downstream at certain times of the year.

We actually have more water rights than water used, sell it downstream, and the fight to keep that is continuous behind the scenes. That fight will intensify if we fail to deliver as promised, hence the rules as they are. The selling of water rights became such an issue that a lot of restrictions have been put in place to stop permanent drying out of irrigated farm land. You can sell the water, but the rights to it are attached to the land, with some exceptions.

Water Law is extremely arcane & complex, with lawyers making handsome livings specializing in it.

 

[saluki]

I hate septic tanks. Can't stand them after a mishap at a buddies one summer. No thank you, not for me.

 

[greenpinky]

Lol its funny... its like the guys who live there now are trying to talk everyone out of going to colorado..when in all truth they won't even know what it will be like when the law changes next year...and to not think that it will change is funny... say good bye to the colorado u know now... it'll never be the same...

 

[monsoon]

There are plenty of cheap properties available in Colorado that could be amazing.
The biggest issue any new property owner faces in the state is without doubt, water. Drilling a well or two on a property could get pricey real quick. A minimum for any property I would consider purchasing would be Well, Septic and Power to the property.

FYI...it's a bit more regulated and controlled than what you elude to.

You have to have approved sanitation in every county in CO. No ifs, ands, or buts about it.

FYI...the right to drill a well here isn't attached to >all< properties. The right must be there, as well as a need. If there are other sources of water available, such as a local municipal supply, you may be denied a well permit even if the land has a historic right attached to it for a well. Two wells is something I've never heard of. Most land will only have one right to drill, if that. It all depends on the land, and CHEAP land will be dry or will come with a "household only" well designation, meaning you cannot water >anything< outside. Shoot for a "domestic" right if you are looking for property, then you can water your garden/lawn/etc as well as get a drink.

Not liking/having a septic system means you are stuck living >in< town or in the city. No thanks! Good luck in the search folks.

 

[monsoon]

Lol its funny... its like the guys who live there now are trying to talk everyone out of going to colorado..when in all truth they won't even know what it will be like when the law changes next year...and to not think that it will change is funny... say good bye to the colorado u know now... it'll never be the same...

With the new model mirroring the MMJ model as far as sales and use (private use only), folks here know what it will be like >IF< it happens at all. Just because you will be able to buy it doesn't mean anything else is gonna change or that millions of folks will automatically start smoking weed here or it will be acceptable to smoke in bars/restaurants/in public. Bottom line, the folks who are truly into weed here already got involved with MMJ YEARS ago. Those waiting to smoke when it is "legal" (the posers) are few and far between...or live in another state and are making more of this than anyone who actually lives here can ever imagine.

The Colorado we knew exited, stage right, when the dispensaries were legitimized and all patients lost the right to sell to each other in 2010.

gonna be interesting to see where it all goes.

 

[Marshmello]

It was never my intention to keep anybody away from my birthplace.
Come One, Come All.
Won't affect me in the slightest.
Not many Natives left in Colorado anyhow.

When I said one or two wells could get pricey....not every hole that gets drilled hits water. It might take a couple shots.

 

[greenpinky]

With the new model mirroring the MMJ model as far as sales and use (private use only), folks here know what it will be like >IF< it happens at all. Just because you will be able to buy it doesn't mean anything else is gonna change or that millions of folks will automatically start smoking weed here or it will be acceptable to smoke in bars/restaurants/in public. Bottom line, the folks who are truly into weed here already got involved with MMJ YEARS ago. Those waiting to smoke when it is "legal" (the posers) are few and far between...or live in another state and are making more of this than anyone who actually lives here can ever imagine.

The Colorado we knew exited, stage right, when the dispensaries were legitimized and all patients lost the right to sell to each other in 2010.

gonna be interesting to see where it all goes.

Ya me myself I have never trusted in any mmj program. . Put ur name on a list that says how much u use and grow... I'm good... but colorado is going to blow up with the tourists, that's where u will see the biggest impact... but for locals it'll be the same business as mmj... but watch how many people start using now its legal....ill be there to pick up my quarter. That's for sure...

 

[Eighths-n-Aces]

but watch how many people start using now its legal

this line reminds me of the lame arguments that the drug warriors have used for years to stop legalization.

i think buying into that type of logic is like actually believing that nobody in america drank a beer before they turned 21 because of all the respect they have for the laws.

i do think more people will be inclined to smoke, but i don't think that there is going to be any massive jump in "user " numbers even though the number of people admitting they smoke will rise.

IMHO taking away drug testing in the job market would do more to raise the number of smokers than making weed easy to get will

when herb and booze are treated exactly the same by the law we are going to see some interesting shifts in numbers, but i think we have another 20 years before that happens. there is way to much money at stake to think that beer makers,big pharma and the politicians in their pockets are going to want a level playing field any time soon

 

[DTFuqua]

The user base will likely go up when legal. That is a good thing. A lot of the increase will be some of the alcohol drinkers which will help society as a whole because cannabis smokers are better citizens than most drunks. Cannabis users are generally nicer, kinder, more reluctant to be violent, and safer drivers, as well as being a whole lot healthier. The list can go on but that is enough to make the case.

 

[monsoon]

Gotcha on the well prospects/etc. mello.

Tourists will certainly be a boon for the state in many ways, as always, should this retail model be allowed to fly. Ditto for the neighboring states as well. Just as no Colorado plates leave/travel through neighboring states without getting stopped and questioned, or worse, folks with out-of-state plates who come here or those who fly in/out will meet the same scrutiny. Sucks, but that is part of the change here as well. It's "legal", but as Eights said..it's a long way from being accepted widely like alcohol, especially in public places.

 

[Jhhnn]

this line reminds me of the lame arguments that the drug warriors have used for years to stop legalization.

i think buying into that type of logic is like actually believing that nobody in america drank a beer before they turned 21 because of all the respect they have for the laws.

i do think more people will be inclined to smoke, but i don't think that there is going to be any massive jump in "user " numbers even though the number of people admitting they smoke will rise.

IMHO taking away drug testing in the job market would do more to raise the number of smokers than making weed easy to get will

when herb and booze are treated exactly the same by the law we are going to see some interesting shifts in numbers, but i think we have another 20 years before that happens. there is way to much money at stake to think that beer makers,big pharma and the politicians in their pockets are going to want a level playing field any time soon

I think the biggest jump will be & already is of people growing their own in Colorado. Lots of people who became disconnected from the scene for various reasons are returning because it is legal to possess & to grow at the State level.

Maybe the biggest growth will be among seniors. Face it, today's seniors were the hippies of the 60's. Retired & free of the stupid constraints of workplace drug testing & the threat of spending some of those "golden years" behind bars, returning to one's roots is a natural thing to do. In that, seniors are very much disconnected from the cannabis market in general, don't necessarily want to reconnect with the kind of outlaws who served their needs long ago. So they go online, just curious, find the bou, the bay, & many others like them. They find that the people at that new "gardening store" are very knowledgeable & helpful. So they put it together, because they have the time, money, desire & freedom to do so. Lots of them are already successful gardeners, and more than a few come from technical backgrounds.

I suppose I'm actually talking about myself, but I'm quite sure there are many others. What's lacking is the sense of community & connectedness to each other we had long ago, but I suspect that'll fill in over the next few years.

It's quite odd hooking up with younger tokers, because none of us know quite what to think about the other. I recently spotted my young neighbors & friends toking up out back, so I cruised over. It was clear they were a little nervous, taken aback, but when I profferred a couple of joints, everything smoothed out. Dunno that we'll ever be real close, but we had a nice time & we understand each other to be cool at that level. I'm not yet free of my workplace & their games, so I have to be rather careful to have a few days off after toking, just in case. After the first of the year, I'll be free to be more active, see what kind of new friends & experiences await me. Life's too short to do otherwise, something I notice even more now that I'm at the short end of it.

Bong-a-Thon? Sounds like a great time to me. Count me in next year, OK?

 

[mericanfiend]

make the move, but for the right reasons!

make the move, but for the right reasons!

I'll try to offer a little perspective here as a Colorado resident, MMJ patient and MMED badge holder:

I moved to Colorado with green dreams clouding my brain and every dollar to my name in my pocket. While (like everyone else) I had aspirations of working in the blossoming MMJ industry, I had very little cultivation experience (i.e. nothing more than .4KW in a closet), few prospective employment opportunities and absolutely no connections in the industry. I applied for 20+ craigslist jobs, zero replies.

I found a landlord that was sympathetic with my situation (no verifiable income but cash in hand) and invested my remaining loot in my "dream" 4KW 10x10. After crunching out my first harvest, I was able to land a job as a budtender at a fairly reputable dispensary. I was working in the grow within a month and acquired my MMED badge a couple months later. Getting a badge is not as difficult as some make it seem to be, just google Colorado MMED Occupational Licensing.

Since then, I have worked for several different dispensaries in several different capacities, and I wouldn't wish apprentice or trim work upon my worst enemies. It is an all labor, no glory type of deal. You won't get paid worth a damn and will mostly likely get treated like a sweatshop slave unless you're working for your buddies. FOH positions are a little more bearable, but good luck getting a job as a receptionist or budtender unless you're a cutie with nice rack. No offense to the ladies

Moral of the story: why work for some cash-cropping prick(s) when you can just run your own show? While it's true that the bottom is falling out of the market here price wise, you could always work something out with your connections back home (not that I'm trying to advocate anything illegal here hahaha). If you want a large lady count, get yourself a medical card. If you're a tree farmer like myself, you can make the legal limit of six plants go a long way. Hell, a huge number of my friends and associates crush triple figure plant count gardens with no paperwork.

What you're able to accomplish depends on your budget, your connections, your skills, and (most importantly) your landlord. You'll find that many Colorado landlords are not cool with cultivation, even with the laws being as they are AND/OR with proper paperwork in hand. Check craigslist and you'll be surprised on how frequently "NO MMJ/NO CULTIVATION" comes up in rental ads. I regularly tell my clients, "I can make any space work as long as it is a friendly one". If you have the finances and can't foresee yourself moving any time soon, I would highly recommend a lease-purchase or rent-to-own agreement. Less likelihood of random landlord pop-ins that way.

That all being said, why not move here? Colorado has everything a man like myself desires: amazing beer, beautiful women, crunchy music, dank nuggetry, epic views, friendly people, great weather, hetty laws... the list could just roll on and on... between the Cannabis Cup, Amendment 64 and the Red Rocks season this year has been legendary already! If there was an ocean here, I would never have a reason to leave!

"I'm sick of following my dreams. I'm just going to ask them where they're goin', and hook up with them later."
-Mitch Hedberg

 

[greenpinky]

I was talking to a friend about the market in cali how it is hurting these growers that have been growing for 20+ years.. they were used to 3k or more a lb. Now its half that... now they got to grow 2x as much just to get enough to pay the bills.... so he said that the goverment is prob happy colorado is legal now but won't let every state follow cuz the bottom will fall out of the industry..so basically we won't see other states turn legal for a few years or even ever..hopefully I'm wrong and weed becomes like corn.. grown everywhere