[bouldercouncilhotline] Hotline: sales or excise tax on recreational marijuana

[cmosupport at bouldercolorado.gov]

Sender: Becker, KC

Council members and the public:

I want to give everyone a heads up prior to our Tuesday night discussion of recreational marijuana ordinances that I would like Council to consider placing a sales or excise tax on the ballot this November that would apply to recreational marijuana and would fund, in part, youth education, prevention, treatment, research, and enforcement efforts that may be needed if/when we license local recreational marijuana stores. 

I would propose that the tax be partially dedicated, that it be on the ballot this November, and that it sunset after a certain number of years (perhaps 7?) so that future voters can decide whether they think ongoing funding is necessary. If there is support on Council for such a tax, I might also consider asking Council to make our recreational licensing program contingent on the successful passage of such a tax. I am suggesting that this potential tax only be partially dedicated to addressing impacts to youth because I know there may be other important impacts that will need funding and because I obviously have no idea about how much funding such a sales or excise tax would generate, and how much would be needed for education and prevention efforts, or other things. Partial dedication provides flexibility in determining the level of funding needed for these efforts while guaranteeing that there is some minimum amount.

I have met with many local experts who work with youth and have learned about the need for proactive youth education and abuse prevention efforts around pot. With the recent increased access and acceptability of pot, recent research is showing that most youth perceive very low risk or harm from pot, and yet research also shows real negative effects on youth who frequently use marijuana. There is a gap of knowledge among youth and their parents about the level of risk on youth development from smoking pot. Public health advocates are also facing the misconception among many youth that they can still drive after using pot, and that because we have medical marijuana, "marijuana can't be bad for you." There is evidence that kids are starting to smoke earlier and earlier and that these numbers will only increase in Colorado.  

I want Boulder to be proactive about education, prevention, and treatment in this area. Tobacco taxes provide a very good example of how governments have used a tax on a particular product to fund successful youth education efforts about that product. Tobacco use among youth continues to go down as a result. 

Thanks, 

KC Becker