Legalized marijuana will be a revenue source for Colorado, but the state coffers must not become reliant on what could be a harmful substance, Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper told TheBlaze.
Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper during the National Governor's Association Winter Meeting in Washington, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2014. (Image source: AP/Cliff Owen)
“We're trying not to take whatever that windfall is and not become dependent on it,” Hickenlooper said.
Hickenlooper told TheBlaze that the state's marijuana revenue will likely be used for education and drug addiction treatment.
Hickenlooper added that Colorado will tax and regulate marijuana as rigorously as alcohol.
“I'm not saying it should be illegal,” Hickenlooper explained. “There are many, many studies. It's different than alcohol, but I'm not sure it's that much more dangerous. Now for some kids it clearly is more dangerous. But for many people it's no more dangerous. There's an argument, we hear it all the time.”
“Let's say if kids are bipolar and they are susceptible to the influences of marijuana, we want to make sure that they get the treatment that they have,” Hickenlooper told TheBlaze.
“Just like you don't want to have states promoting gambling, you don't want to have states promoting things that aren't good for their citizens, you don't want to get caught up in budgeting around something that's not.”
Voters in Colorado opted to legalize marijuana in the 2012 election. Since its legalization was implemented Jan. 1, Colorado has drawn marijuana users from across the country.
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