page_title: Colorado Amendment 64
section_title: Implementation
hierarchical_section_title: Colorado Amendment 64 / Implementation
caption_attribution_description: English: Cannabis Station, a medical marijuana dispensary located at the intersection of Lawrence Street and 20th Avenue in Denver, Colorado. The shop occupies a former gas station. Part of the text on the sign says, "Fill Up on Diesel $30 ⅛'s."
context_page_description: Colorado Amendment 64 was a successful popular initiative ballot measure to amend the Constitution of the State of Colorado, outlining a statewide drug policy for cannabis. The measure passed on November 6, 2012, and along with a similar measure in Washington state, marked "an electoral first not only for America but for the world."
  Enacted as Article 18, section 16 of the state constitution, the law addresses "personal use and regulation of marijuana" for adults 21 and over, as well as commercial cultivation, manufacture, and sale: regulating marijuana in a manner similar to alcohol, namely for recreational use. The commercial sale of marijuana to the general public began on January 1, 2014, at establishments licensed under the regulatory framework.
  As of April 2017, 176 of Colorado's 272 municipalities have opted to prohibit retail marijuana activity within their boundaries. While Colorado's second most populous city, Colorado Springs in El Paso county, has prohibited the sale of recreational marijuana, the city has permitted medical marijuana dispensaries.
context_section_description: The policies took effect when the Governor ratified the ballots, which was to happen within 30 days of the election. Governor John Hickenlooper officially added the law to his state's constitution on Monday December 10, 2012 making the private consumption of marijuana legal in Colorado. The first stores officially opened on January 1, 2014.
  Shortly after its passing Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper stated "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." On December 10, 2012 Governor Hickenlooper signed Executive Order B 2012-004 to create the Task Force on the Implementation of Amendment 64 to "consider and resolve a number of policy, legal and procedural issues". On March 13, 2013, the task force issued 58 recommendations on how recreational pot should be grown, sold and taxed in the state. On May 28, 2013, Governor Hickenlooper signed several bills into law implementing the task force's recommendations. On September 9, 2013, the Colorado Department of Revenue adopted final regulations for recreational marijuana establishments, implementing the Colorado Retail Marijuana Code (HB 13-1317). On September 16, 2013, the Denver City Council adopted an ordinance for retail marijuana establishments. These local licensing requirements are in addition to the state licensing requirements.
caption: Cannabis dispensary in Denver, Colorado
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