Here is a link to a video: http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/local-news/marijuana/colorado-issues-348-retail-marijuana-licenses-for-stores-cultivation-manufacturing-and-testing

Here is the short of it...

*) Colorado has this week issued and mailed out 384 retail licenses to sell marijuana. They all are active Jan. 1, coming up.

*) 136 retail stores among these, most of the rest are grow operations.

*) The vast majority of these stores are located in Denver.

*) I live in Denver.

It's hopeless, but I am not soliciting opinions about marijuana. I don't really care whether you hate, love, or are indifferent about marijuana, and I would give money to not hear your opinion on the subject.

What I am interested in is the cultural artifact of living in Colorado, particularly Denver after this change. It may be very significant. I don't honestly know. Opinions here vary a lot. Probably know soon, but maybe not so soon.

For locals it will mean almost nothing. Obtaining marijuana in Colorado is trivial and has been for decades. The penalties for simple possession have been very, very minor for decades. I'm sure even for locals there will be a few weeks of, "Damn I'm going to go buy some weed in a store for the first time in my life." That will thin out quickly.

What may be significant could be pot tourism. The new laws allow for it, though Colorado residents (over 21) may buy 1 ounce at a time, non-residents, only 1/4 an ounce. How often...I don't know.

The effects of this may take a while to be seen. I've heard that only a couple of stores are actually opening on Jan. 1. Of course, my understanding of this is based mostly on rumor.

This, as a cultural artifact, could be extreme or it could be hardly noticeable. We'll see.

Mike