The "Acapulco Gold" gold rush, or Go West Young Stoner!

Move over California Gold Rush, Colorado and Washington are bringing you the “Acapulco Gold” gold rush. By passing marijuana legalization laws in both states, things are going to get just a bit squirrely in those states over the next year or so.

Since the Federal government considers marijuana illegal and prohibits its use, it will be very interesting to see how those two states work out their differences with the Feds. Passage of the measure in Colorado prompted Gov. John Hickenlooper to comment, “This will be a complicated process, but we intend to follow through. That said, federal law still says marijuana is an illegal drug, so don’t break out the Cheetos or Goldfish too quickly.”

Colorado’s law states that adults over 21 can possess up to 1 ounce of marijuana, or six marijuana plants, for personal use. The state anticipates benefiting from potential taxes.

Opponents say it will make the state a marijuana mecca for drug tourists. But then, I guess they haven’t been on the slopes at Steamboat Springs lately, either.

In Washington, initiative 502 legalizes and regulates the production, possession, and distribution of marijuana for residents 21 and older. The new law imposes a 25 percent tax rate on pot when the grower sells it to the processor, when the processor sells it to the retailer, and when the retailer sells it to the customer. Supporters believe the measure could bring in $500 million annually, a figure some analysts dispute. Both laws include a pot DUI limit.

But unlike the famous Bob Dylan line, “everyone must get stoned,” marijuana initiatives failed in some states. In Oregon, for instance, voters defeated Measure 80, which would have legalized the sale of pot through state-licensed stores, allowed unlicensed growth and use of marijuana by adults, and prohibit restrictions on pot.

Analysts say the measure failed in Oregon mainly because the supporters were too high to make their case—not! In reality, they believe the supporters lacked organization and funding. In Washington, the change was supported by a large number of prominent Washington State officials:  John McKay, former U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Washington; Peter Holmes, Seattle city attorney; and Kim Marie Thorburn MD and MPH, former director of the Spokane Regional Health District just to name a few.

Colorado, which has a thriving medical marijuana industry, also had support for and cash to help sway its electorate. But not all states with marijuana initiatives were as successful:  Arkansas rejected a measure to legalize medical marijuana, but in Massachusetts a similar measure passed.

What didn’t pass in Massachusetts was assisted suicide; the measure failed 51 percent to 49 percent, which leaves room for a future attempt.

In addition to pot, Washington also approved a same sex marriage initiative, as did Maine and Maryland; meanwhile, Minnesota’s attempt to ban same-sex marriages failed by 52 to 47 percent.

It ought to be right interesting to see how many people migrate to Colorado and Washington over the next few years. I am certain the gold rush in those two states will far outpace the California gold rush of 1849; and the Klondike gold rush of 1899.  The California gold rush brought in an estimated 300,000 prospectors, and about 100,000 responded to the Klondike gold rush.

No question in my mind that Colorado and Washington will both experience population boosts far surpassing those paltry numbers put up by the other gold rushes. Their respective populations will increase significantly, and they will soon be worth more Electoral College votes.