Should Texas Legalize Marijuana? [POLL]

It is now legal in Colorado to buy and smoke pot for fun. The big experiment in Colorado is being watched by Americans all over the country. What will the impact be? Is it really that big of a deal? Could it happen here? If everything runs smoothly in Colorado over the next few years, I could see pot becoming legal in a growing number of states. According to the Washington Post, the new law was met with long lines.

The first-in-the-nation law was greeted with long lines at retailers and a lot of “Rocky Mountain High” jokes. But beyond the buzz, the measure represented the institution of a major new public policy in America — one that opponents fear will turn the state into a dangerous land of debauchery and that backers hope sets a nationwide precedent.

If Colorado is able to successfully legalize marijuana without causing a social backlash, the tourism, tax and other considerations are likely to compel several other states to quickly follow suit.

Backers say enough signatures have been collected to put legalization before voters this year in Alaska. Oregon would probably come next, and by 2016, they hope to see measures on the ballot in six other states: Arizona, California, Maine, Massachusetts, Montana and Nevada. Supporters are also hopeful that lawmakers will push for legalization in Delaware, Hawaii, Maryland, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont.

Washington state has legalized pot, but sales there won’t begin for at least a few months.

If problems arise in Colorado — whether that means residents get sick of stoner tourism or there are a rash of marijuana-
related accidents or crimes — it could set back a decades-old movement that has gained substantial momentum in recent years.

Experts say there really is no way to know which way it will go. “Nobody on Earth has ever done this before,” said Jonathan Caulkins, a drug policy expert and professor at Carnegie Mellon University.

What do you think about this experiment in Texas? Should Texas legalize the sell and use of pot? Let us know in today's KFYO Poll of the Day.