Pot Tourism, Next Pot Conference and Festivals

Colorado’s new industry – the growing and selling of recreational marijuana – is expanding on an accelerated trajectory similar to Colorado’s craft brew industry.

An entire support infrastructure to inform people about the product, its price and availability was highlighted by a feature story in the Wall Street Journal on pot tourism with vans bringing tourists from the airport to the best retail shops. Grand Tours across Europe, golf’s Pro Tour, gaming junkets in Las Vegas, Tour de France and now pot tourism in Denver.

Recent polls show national support for legalizing pot, but it’s not clear if a plateau has been reached or public acceptance is still climbing. Clearly, there has been huge movement in recent years, reflecting both changed opinion and the entrance of the millennial generation into the voter base.

• CNN poll is up 12 points from 2012 and 20 points from 2008 (when most of the Baby Boomers graduated from college in the 1970s, 80% of the public said no to legalization).
• Washington Post/ABC News Poll showed little change in support for legalization from a year ago and the lowest level of support among recent polls.
• The polls report from a third to half of the public claim to have tried marijuana (38% Gallup, 52% CNN). The wide range claiming use may be a reflection of sample differences, especially the number of persons under 35 years old and the growing social acceptance making inhibition of admitting use less forceful.
• The polls show that support for legalization is much higher with the young, Democrats, independents and liberals.

Nearly half the states (21 and D.C.) allow the use of medical marijuana, and Colorado and Washington are out on the edge with regulations being implemented for use of pot for recreation.

Pro marijuana forces are charging ahead, hoping that the shift in public opinion and publicity from Colorado will steer more states to initiatives or legislation. Alaska, Oregon and California may be nearing a vote in 2014. Legislatures in Delaware, Hawaii, Maryland, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont have indicated that legalization may be considered in upcoming sessions.

Partially, the rush reflects a momentum strategy on the part of savvy advocates and partially they fear a backlash if Colorado and other state experiments turn sour.

See:
CNN Poll: Support for legal marijuana soaring
Los Angeles Times: As marijuana attitudes shift, this may be a year of legalization
Gallup: For first time, Americans favor legalizing marijuana
Washington Post: WaPo-ABC poll: Little rise in support for marijuana legalization
Washington Post: Poll: Majority wants marijuana legalized
Denver Post: Others eye Colorado’s pot law for their legalization