Statement from Michael Elliott, Executive Director of the Marijuana Industry Group

Statement from Michael Elliott, Executive Director of the Marijuana Industry Group, in response to Governor Chris Christie's statements about Colorado's marijuana program.  

"Colorado now has about 500 pages of state marijuana law and regulation. Our program includes:

• State and local licensing;
• Background checks;
• Financial disclosures;
• Security requirements such as mandatory video surveillance, alarm systems, and limited access areas;
• Consumer safety requirements such as child-resistant packaging, detailed labeling with warnings, and testing for potency and harmful contaminants like mold and mildew;
• Seed-to-sale tracking with mandatory RFID tags; and      
• A local option for cities and counties to prohibit licensed marijuana businesses. 

The United States has fought the war on marijuana for 45 years, and spent over a trillion dollars.  And even though the United States now has the highest incarceration rate in the world, marijuana is still universally available, particularly in our schools. 

While the vast majority of Americans agree that the war on marijuana has been a failure, credible alternatives have been lacking.  Colorado is now showing the rest of the country an alternative that promotes freedom, revenue, and safety.   

Coloradans are choosing control over chaos.  We are choosing a model that includes accountability, transparency, security, taxes, jobs, and safety.  We reject the model of alcohol prohibition, where criminals like Al Capone dominate the market through violence, corruption, and fear. 

Indeed, Coloradans overwhelmingly support this program. We are proud of the robust regulatory structure Colorado has developed, and as representatives of this new industry, we pledge to continue working to enhance safety, transparency, and accountability."