Social Use or Sociable Use?

Seems like the hottest topic in the cannabis realm around Denver these days is “Social use”, and has a lot of folks waiting to see what happens next. The premiss being that if we have legal cannabis and recreational use it makes sense that there should be a place to legally consume your flower or products. As there are rental properties, community living and situations where visitors have no place to consume. Rental cars are a bad idea for the obvious reasons and parking lots etc. can result in a negative encounter with local authorities. The Initiative 300 will allow businesses to set up an area to allow cannabis consumption after a permit application and city approval latter in the 2017 year. We hope. According to the Denver Post roughly 170,000 Denver voters said Yes. By the same token 150,000 also voted no! There are still a lot of questions around regulation and enforcement. Time will tell the tale now. But while we are on the subject of social use, let’s discuss just that. In the Denver area it has become fairly common to see or smell cannabis being smoked while out in public. I for one do not want a child being exposed to this and most responsible users strongly agree. And in most states and jurisdictions the law requires it. But it is 2017 and Denver has spoken and does not allow for irresponsible use. That being said, we look to the social use establishments in the future. While advocating for cannabis, it is necessary to know that Colorado is still arresting people for marijuana violations, as this is not the wild wild west of weed. The lady in the car next to you still has the right to protect her kids as she sees necessary from marijuana. Whether you are pro-use or anti-use is a personal choice. We live in a society that is free to choose but not free to invoke our beliefs on someone whom has strong convictions against its use. The whole “social use” term needs revamping to me. I guess it is like calling cannabis “weed” or “pot” is an old school term and has led to some of the stigmatism’s that now go with the use. As all cannabis users know and agree that cannabis use alone does not make one lazy, stupid or otherwise socially unacceptable and a taboo thing. As we as a society embark down this road of legal cannabis in varying degrees and forms, it must be understood that alcohol was once viewed with the same attitude and we all know how that one turned out. And so the journey into the Emerald Zoo forest of cannabis ensues. Let us all be aware that our beliefs are just that. Please use responsibly and respectfully. In the next article we will talk about just where it is legal to consume in Colorado.

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