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Title: The Denver suburb of Aurora is using recreational marijuana sales tax revenue to help the homeless
Source:
CBS News
URL Source: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/legal-m ... -drawing-homeless-to-colorado/
Published: May 3, 2016
Author: Staff
Post Date: 2016-05-19 12:56:40 by Gatlin
Keywords: None
Views: 20374
Comments: 115
DENVER -- Chris Easterling was sick of relying on drug dealers in Minneapolis when he needed marijuana to help ease the pain of multiple sclerosis. They were flaky, often leaving the homeless man without the drug when he needed relief the most. So he moved to Denver, where legal pot dispensaries are plentiful and accessible. Easterling is among a growing number of homeless people who have recently come to Colorado seeking its legal marijuana, and who now remain in the state and occupy beds in shelters, according to service providers. While no state agency records how many homeless people were drawn by legal weed, officials at homeless centers say the influx they are seeing is straining their ability to meet the needs of the increasing population. "The older ones are coming for medical (marijuana), the younger ones are coming just because it's legal," said Brett Van Sickle, director of Denver's Salvation Army Crossroads Shelter, which has more than doubled its staff to accommodate the increase. The shelter did an informal survey of the roughly 500 new out-of-towners who stayed there between July and September and found as many as 30 percent had relocated for pot, he said. Shelters in some other parts of the state said they haven't noticed the problem or haven't surveyed their residents about it. Colorado's homeless population and its marijuana dispensaries are both concentrated in Denver, which could be why centers say they are experiencing a more noticeable rise. Other factors could be driving the rising homeless rates. Colorado's economy is thriving, but the number of affordable homes and apartments is shrinking. Julie Smith of Denver's Road Home, a city plan that aims to end homelessness, said the city's rising overall population could be a reason for an increase in the number homeless people. She said the agency has heard anecdotal reports about homeless people moving to the state for the marijuana, but officials don't have any numbers to support that assertion. The city is eager to see the results of a study by Metropolitan State University of Denver's Criminal Justice and Criminology Department of issues related to legal marijuana, including any correlation between legal marijuana and rates of homelessness. Assistant professor Rebecca Trammell said the researchers did interviews with shelter employees and volunteers after hearing anecdotes about the problem but have no preliminary findings. Many of those staying in shelters come to Denver with big plans and find they can't make ends meet, said Tom Luehrs, executive director of capital city's Saint Francis Center. The shelter has seen an increase from 730 people a day in 2013 to 780 people this year, and as many as 300 new faces a month. Not all of them are pot-smokers, Luehrs said, but many have said they were drawn to the state because of legal marijuana. Shelters in Washington state haven't experienced a noticeable influx since that state's legal recreational sales started in July. Capt. Dana Libby, Seattle Social Services director for the Salvation Army, said the economy is largely to blame for the high rates of homelessness there. In Colorado, some out-of-town homeless are seeking jobs in the marijuana industry. "There's an enormous migration, even a homeless movement, so to speak," David Spencer, a homeless man from Tennessee, told CBS Denver. "I figured this would be a good place to start over." But the homeless learn only after arriving that they lack the two-year residency requirement needed to work in a dispensary. Others have felony records that make them ineligible, Van Sickle said. Van Sickle's shelter prohibits weed and other drugs, which means those who stay there have to leave the property to smoke. Van Sickle said he has been confiscating more pot and paraphernalia, though he doesn't keep track of how much. Arnold Kelley got lucky. The 60-year-old retired plumber, tired of risking arrest for pot-smoking, moved from Memphis, Tennessee, and got a job fixing pipes at a Denver dispensary. The dispensary helped him get a license to use medical marijuana and paid him in pot for his work. He said pot improved his appetite and lessened his anxiety. "Once I got here, the industry was good to me," he said. But it didn't pay the bills, and Kelley finds himself staying often at Crossroads. The Denver area is seeing younger homeless people, too. Urban Peak, which provides services for those ages 15 to 25, says it saw 829 people between May and July at its drop-in center, up from 328 during the same time period a year earlier. About a third of this year's newcomers cited legal weed as a factor in moving to Colorado, said Kim Easton, the director. Many of the older men, like Easterling, live exclusively on disability benefits and use them to buy pot, since there's nothing to stop someone from using welfare benefits to obtain cash to use at pot shops. "I'm staying here," he said, between puffs on an electronic smoking device filled with pot oil. "This is my home."
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#48. To: GrandIsland (#7)
Who says it doesn't? "For the first time since the tech boom, Colorado added nearly 101,000 people to its population in a single year [...] Net migration —more people moving to the state than leaving — accounts for about two-thirds of the population gain" - www.denverpost.com/busine...ulation-jumped-by-101-000 A government strong enough to impose your standards is strong enough to ban them. False analogy - someone else's pot use violates none of your rights. A government strong enough to impose your standards is strong enough to ban them. And every non-pothead in there is - what - a sterling citizen who was framed? A government strong enough to impose your standards is strong enough to ban them. Nor for the legal ones. What's the public policy conclusion? A government strong enough to impose your standards is strong enough to ban them. You'd be surprised. Life is full of surprises. As long as they do not light up in front of me or flaunt it they can do as they wish. OTOH if they smoking in front of there grandkids or other children then I would have a problem and likely terminate our acquaintance. потому что Бог хочет это тот путь
That's the American conservative spirit. Some who like to fancy themselves American conservatives are apparently tortured by the knowledge that somebody somewhere might be having a kind of fun of which they disapprove. A government strong enough to impose your standards is strong enough to ban them. You mean like pedophiles for example? потому что Бог хочет это тот путь
You mean like pedophiles for example? No, I mean like pot smokers, who (with the exception of parents of minors who inebriate themselves to the point of being unable to meet their parental duties) violate nobody's rights. Pedophilic acts always violate the rights of the child. A government strong enough to impose your standards is strong enough to ban them. That alcohol is part of the American culture and tradition and has been so for hundreds of years. That we tried banning it once to no avail. That, despite the pain, misery and death that it causes, is something we'll have to learn to live with. And finally, that if we had the opportunity to legalize even more recreational drugs to add to the pain, misery, and death, we would not do so.
Marijuana has been widely used in America for over half a century and is near if not over 50% lifetime use. And our attempt to ban it seems to have availed primarily to enrich cartels and other criminals. A government strong enough to impose your standards is strong enough to ban them. Always as part of the sub-culture.
That's tautologically true if you assume your conclusion by defining the subculture to encompass all pot use. Can you support your claim without thus assuming your conclusion? A government strong enough to impose your standards is strong enough to ban them. Are you saying marijuana is accepted as part of our culture?
Yet you see no parallels between banning alcohol and the current prohibition on drugs. You admit the first one was a failure - when will you wake up and realize that the current one is as well? Some don't accept marijuana use - some don't accept alcohol use. You're the one making claims about "culture" and "subculture" so you're the one who needs to define those terms. Or just continue handwaving ... your call. A government strong enough to impose your standards is strong enough to ban them. Other than the obvious parallel (illegality), no. "You admit the first one was a failure - when will you wake up and realize that the current one is as well?" Do you mean because some states legalized medical marijuana? Yeah. That's a failure. Do you mean some states decriminalizing marijuana? Yeah. That's a failure. Do you mean some states actually legalizing marijuana? Yeah. That's a failure. Do you mean Obama's justice department refusing to enforce federal drug laws? Yeah. That's a failure. In spite of all that, marijuana use has remained relatively flat for the last 20-25 years. That's not failure. Do you want to actually reduce use? Do you? Really? I know how, but you won't like it.
ALL illicit drug use has remained flat despite spending trillions of dollars. Yeah - I got a real good idea what you would propose. Sounds like it to me - use of the drugs tobacco and alcohol has declined for much if not all of that time, and they're not even illegal. A government strong enough to impose your standards is strong enough to ban them. Or selectively enforcing them in different states. So much for due process.
Marijuana use would have declined also, had it not been for the four issues I raised. That's not failure.
Legalization is the case in only four states, and like Obama's nonenforcement covers only a few of the last 20-25 years. As for decriminalization and medical, those hold in less than half the states; are you claiming that marijuana use fell in states that have neither? And that, as a corollary, it rose in the states that have one or both (so that the national average be flat)? A government strong enough to impose your standards is strong enough to ban them. Yeah... 2/3 gain of potheads. Just what any state wants. Wonderful. lol
I'm the infidel... Allah warned you about. كافر المسلح
It does when they burglarize my house while I work because they want to sell my xbox at the local pawn shop to buy an ounce of weed to fuel their addiction.
I'm the infidel... Allah warned you about. كافر المسلح
Their aren't any "non potheads" in prison. There isn't one of these dysfunctional scumbag mother F'ers that wouldn't stick a shank in their cell mates back for their stash of weed. Wake the F' up, Paultard. I'm the infidel... Allah warned you about. كافر المسلح
Looks like someone woke up from his afternoon nappie a little crabby today.
As an average, sure, why not? Doesn't that make sense? "Researchers from Emory’s Rollins School of Public Health found an increase in adult marijuana use ... after the implementation of medical marijuana laws (MML) in ten states that permit marijuana use for medical purposes." "The study findings suggest that state MML implementation between 2004 and 2012 led to a 14 percent increase in past-month marijuana use and an 18 percent increase in marijuana abuse/dependence among adults aged 21 or above."
I'm the infidel... Allah warned you about. كافر المسلح
Actually, you'll notice a pattern. Maybe you Paultards can notice shit like that. I don't post between 0900 hours and 1700 hours... because personal cell phones are contraband in a prison. I do carry an issued work cellphone... But my work cell is off limits for personal pleasure like posting on a political chit chat channel to you and your asshole twin Sucky Bucky. I respect the policies and procedures and laws of the state and of the work place unlike you filthy drug loving Paultards. So I didn't just "wake" dumb shit, I was at work. You know, the shit all your CopBlock career criminal friends don't do. I'm the infidel... Allah warned you about. كافر المسلح
So you think 60,000 potheads moved to Colorado in a single year - and all we're hearing is anecdotal reports from a few shelters? LOL! Dance, clown, dance. A government strong enough to impose your standards is strong enough to ban them. That's the burglary violating your rights - and it's already against the law. It's immoral to punish nonburgling pot users for what other pot users do. A government strong enough to impose your standards is strong enough to ban them. Wow, so people willing to break the laws against theft, rape, and murder are also willing to break the pot laws ... amazing. You should get the Nobel Prize for this insight. A government strong enough to impose your standards is strong enough to ban them. Someone needs to remind you Paultards what scumbags you are/support... even if it's common knowledge. I'm the infidel... Allah warned you about. كافر المسلح
Founding Fathers used it. Make it "over the centuries".
Other than the obvious parallel (illegality), no Go to an eye doctor.
Someone needs to remind you Paultards libertysflame.com/cgi-bin...?ArtNum=46260&Disp=38#C38 I neither break the laws against theft, rape, and murder nor support those who do. A government strong enough to impose your standards is strong enough to ban them. Neither do wife beaters. Does that make them angles like you'd like me to believe you are? Wtf does that prove... or is that your yella attempt to make drug use glamorous? I'm the infidel... Allah warned you about. كافر المسلح
Neither do wife beaters. Does that make them angles like you'd like me to believe you are? I don't give a shit what a moron like you thinks about me - assuming for the moment that "thinks" is even a verb that can be applied to you. Morons like you often have short term memory problems ... it shows that your slur about "scumbags you are/support" was another of your sleazy lies. A government strong enough to impose your standards is strong enough to ban them. Interesting - but no support there for your claim that "Marijuana use would have declined also" since the paper shows a one-time bump in past-month use, which after MML implementation remains flat at its new level. (It's also worth noting that MML implementation was found to have no effect on rates of first-time use - that is, any increase in use was among those who had already been using.) A government strong enough to impose your standards is strong enough to ban them. "We also find an increase in marijuana use initiation among those aged 12 –20." (http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0167629615000351)
But no evidence of an increase in regular use. A government strong enough to impose your standards is strong enough to ban them. Give me $39 and I'll buy the report and get back to you. Or, if you're so fucking curious, buy it yourself. Isn't it enough that medical marijuana leads to teen first-time use?
Comments (89 - 115) not displayed.
Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/LatestWhy doesn't dope cause hard working capitalist types to flock?
#49. To: GrandIsland (#19)
They are like that asshole neighbor that lets his dog shit in your yard.
#50. To: GrandIsland (#34)
I work in a Maximim security prison. Every pothead in there is a jobless turd.
#51. To: Gatlin (#46)
One can enjoy a life of natural highs…there is no need for the illegal drugs.
#52. To: Fred Mertz (#35)
I am not aware that I do.
#53. To: SOSO (#52)
As long as they do not light up in front of me or flaunt it they can do as they wish.
#54. To: ConservingFreedom (#53)
Some who like to fancy themselves American conservatives are apparently tortured by the knowledge that somebody somewhere might be having a kind of fun of which they disapprove.
#55. To: SOSO (#54)
"Some who like to fancy themselves American conservatives are apparently tortured by the knowledge that somebody somewhere might be having a kind of fun of which they disapprove."
#56. To: ConservingFreedom (#51)
"Nor for the legal ones. What's the public policy conclusion?"
#57. To: misterwhite (#56)
That alcohol is part of the American culture and tradition and has been so for hundreds of years. That we tried banning it once to no avail.
#58. To: ConservingFreedom (#57)
"Marijuana has been widely used in America for over half a century and is near if not over 50% lifetime use."
#59. To: misterwhite (#58)
Always as part of the sub-culture.
#60. To: ConservingFreedom (#59)
"Can you support your claim without thus assuming your conclusion?"
#61. To: misterwhite (#56)
That we tried banning it once to no avail.
“Truth is treason in the empire of lies.” - Ron Paul
Americans who have no experience with, or knowledge of, tyranny believe that only terrorists will experience the unchecked power of the state. They will believe this until it happens to them, or their children, or their friends.
Paul Craig Roberts
#62. To: misterwhite (#60)
Are you saying marijuana is accepted as part of our culture?
#63. To: Deckard (#61)
"Yet you see no parallels between banning alcohol and the current prohibition on drugs."
#64. To: misterwhite (#63)
(Edited)
In spite of all that, marijuana use has remained relatively flat for the last 20-25 years.
I know how, but you won't like it.
“Truth is treason in the empire of lies.” - Ron Paul
Americans who have no experience with, or knowledge of, tyranny believe that only terrorists will experience the unchecked power of the state. They will believe this until it happens to them, or their children, or their friends.
Paul Craig Roberts
#65. To: misterwhite (#63)
marijuana use has remained relatively flat for the last 20-25 years. That's not failure.
#66. To: misterwhite (#63)
Do you mean Obama's justice department refusing to enforce federal drug laws?
#67. To: ConservingFreedom (#65)
"use of the drugs tobacco and alcohol has declined for much if not all of that time"
#68. To: misterwhite (#67)
Marijuana use would have declined also, had it not been for the four issues I raised.
#69. To: ConservingFreedom (#48)
#70. To: ConservingFreedom (#49)
#71. To: ConservingFreedom (#50)
And every non-pothead in there is - what - a sterling citizen who was framed?
#72. To: GrandIsland (#71)
“Truth is treason in the empire of lies.” - Ron Paul
Americans who have no experience with, or knowledge of, tyranny believe that only terrorists will experience the unchecked power of the state. They will believe this until it happens to them, or their children, or their friends.
Paul Craig Roberts
#73. To: ConservingFreedom (#68)
"are you claiming that marijuana use fell in states that have neither? And that, as a corollary, it rose in the states that have one or both (so that the national average be flat)?
#74. To: Deckard (#72)
(Edited)
#75. To: Deckard (#72)
(Edited)
Looks like someone woke up from his afternoon nappie a little crabby today.
#76. To: GrandIsland (#69)
Yeah... 2/3 gain of potheads.
#77. To: GrandIsland (#70)
"False analogy - someone else's pot use violates none of your rights."
It does when they burglarize my house while I work
#78. To: GrandIsland (#71)
Their aren't any "non potheads" in prison.
#79. To: ConservingFreedom (#78)
Wow, so people willing to break the laws against theft, rape, and murder are also willing to break the pot laws ... amazing. You should get the Nobel Prize for this insight.
#80. To: ConservingFreedom, misterwhite (#57)
Marijuana has been widely used in America for over half a century and is near if not over 50% lifetime use.
#81. To: misterwhite, Deckard (#63)
"Yet you see no parallels between banning alcohol and the current prohibition on drugs."
#82. To: GrandIsland (#79)
"Wow, so people willing to break the laws against theft, rape, and murder are also willing to break the pot laws ... amazing. You should get the Nobel Prize for this insight."
what scumbags you are/support
#83. To: ConservingFreedom (#82)
(Edited)
I neither break the laws against theft, rape, and murder nor support those who do.
#84. To: GrandIsland (#83)
"I neither break the laws against theft, rape, and murder nor support those who do."
Wtf does that prove...
#85. To: misterwhite (#73)
"Researchers from Emory’s Rollins School of Public Health found an increase in adult marijuana use ... after the implementation of medical marijuana laws (MML) in ten states that permit marijuana use for medical purposes."
#86. To: ConservingFreedom (#85)
"It's also worth noting that MML implementation was found to have no effect on rates of first-time use - that is, any increase in use was among those who had already been using."
#87. To: misterwhite (#86)
"We also find an increase in marijuana use initiation among those aged 12 –20."
#88. To: ConservingFreedom (#87)
"But no evidence of an increase in regular use."
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