It was only a matter of time until the government saw the benefits of legalizing marijuana. Just the monetary incentive was enough for the government to open up a few test markets, and residents of Colorado were the first to have the privilege of legally purchasing marijuana. This first month of legalization totaled more than 14 million dollars in sales. Roughly two million of that was collected by the state for tax purposes. These stats are for recreational marijuana sales. Medicinal sales were also up for the first month as well. There is a bright future for marijuana sales in the state of Colorado, but legalization came with rules. If you are a Colorado resident and you are thinking about making a purchase, then make sure you know these rules.

● Legal marijuana can only be sold to adults that are 21 years of age or older.
● Adults are allowed to possess up to one ounce of marijuana at any given time.
● A valid state or government ID is required to make a purchase.
● A list of retail stores selling marijuana can be found at: http://www.leafbuyer.com/.
● There are limits to the amount that can be purchased at a given time. Colorado residents are allowed to purchase one ounce of marijuana, while non-residents are limited to purchasing only ¼ of an ounce of marijuana.
● Adults are allowed to give or gift up to one ounce of marijuana to other adults. Selling is not allowed without an official business license.
● Just because it is legal does not mean public consumption is. It is against the law to openly and publicly consume marijuana.
● It is illegal to drive while under the influence of marijuana. If your blood level shows 5ng/ml, you can be arrested for driving under the influence.

Colorado is a testing ground for marijuana legalization. If things work out, the rest of the United States may see the same laws very soon.