A Colorado ski resort is already being dubbed the "the Amsterdam of the Rockies" after legalizing marijuana in the mountain town of Breckenridge, Colorado. The law goes into effect on January 1, 2010.Breckenridge should remember that Amsterdam has far more than marijuana available without penalty; hopefully they aren't looking at a "red light district," too.
Breckenridge voted last month to relax marijuana laws. Once the new laws go into effect, there will be no criminal or civil penalties for anyone carrying up to an ounce of marijuana. Apparatus (ahem) associated with pot, such as a bong will also be penalty-free.
However, the town of Breckenridge is not without caution. No skiing while stoned is still the rule, under a separate ordinance, and anyone found either using marijuana or skiing while under the influence will be severely punished. That includes, naturally, other types of intoxicants, such as alcohol.
Breckenridge is the second town in the U.S. to decriminalize marijuana. The other is another Colorado city, Denver. However, Breckenridge is the first in America to remove penalties for paraphernalia.
Still, it will remain illegal to buy, sell or grow pot and also to display or use it in public. That means that there will be no Amsterdam-style "coffee shops."
As marijuana is still banned under federal and state law, it is possible that authorities could crack down on its use in Breckenridge, but the Obama administration has already stated that as long as local and state ordinances are followed, it will not step in. It appears, also, that the state will not crack down either.
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