Local policy makers are touting the economic benefits of
commercial cannabis cultivation as a meansNational Public Radio’s Central
California affiliate, a one-acre grow operation could bring in $19 million a
year![1]
While profits vary, jobs in the 420-industry, such as bud trimmer earn $12-13
an hour, according to Forbes. The
grow master or cultivator can expect to earn $100,000+ per year.[2] to replenish depleted coffers.
Looking at the numbers, it is hard to deny their claims. According to a report
by
Colorado’s Amendment 64 was passed by the voters in November
2012; and the commercial sale of marijuana to adults, 21 years of age and over,
for recreational use began on January 1, 2014.[3]
This date is important, because in the March 15, 2017 issue of the Grand Junction Daily Sentinel, it was
reported that property crimes and all crimes reported saw a major increase from
2014 onwards. While violent crimes declined in the year 2014, thereafter,
violent crimes have also seen a significant increase.[4]
One hypothesis is that crime and homeless have increased in
Colorado since the legalisation of recreational marijuana.
The Sentinel article quotes Grand Junction Police Chief,
John Camper, as saying, “I talk to police chiefs throughout the state and
they’re seeing the same thing that we’re seeing – a level of violence that we
haven’t seen before,” noting that it’s hard to pinpoint the reason for the
rise.[5]
Chief Camper is quoted later in the article as saying increases in property
crimes are “often an indication of an increase in drug activity.”[6]
From 2014 to 2016, School District 51 students, who are broadly
identified as homelessness, soared nearly 55% from 388 to 600, according to a Daily Sentinel article at the time.[7]
The 2016 Housing and Urban Development Report on
Homelessness, reports that “Between 2015 and 2016, the number of individuals
experiencing homelessness increased in 22 states. The largest absolute
increases were in California (4,504 people), Washington (1,374 people), and
Colorado (721 people).” [8] Percentwise, this was 13
points up from the previous year and represented a reversal of the trend which
showed homelessness slightly declining over the past decade.[9]
In privileged conversations, some Western Colorado
policymakers have expressed to this author their belief that the legalisation
of recreational cannabis has led to an increase in crime and homelessness.
Looking at the numbers state-wide, the Colorado Bureau of
Investigation reports that all major crime classes have increased 6.20% since
the beginning of 2014.[10]
Between 2013 and 2014, crime actually decreased by one percent. Looking at the aggregate
picture of crime in Colorado for the decade 2005 to 2015, crime generally was
decreasing annually until 2012.[11]
Comparing these state-wide numbers with more pronounced local
findings, there does suggest a slight correlation between increased crime and
legalisation of recreational cannabis. More data and in-depth analysis will be
required to know for sure, but certainly those who have expressed concern are
not without merits.
The Financial Crisis 2007-08, sparked by the subprime mortgage
market and excessive global barrowing and risk taking, had major ramifications
at the local level. By 2009, Colorado hit the high-water mark with 46,394 home foreclosure
filings.[12] Smaller jurisdictions,
such as Delta County saw their worst numbers in 2010, with 264 foreclosure
filings.[13]
In 2009, a small group of Delta citizens, from various churches,
concerned by seeing homeless people lingering around town, organized to start a
homeless shelter. As the Financial Crisis became entrenched and foreclosures
mounted, industries such as the local lumber company and saw mill closed,
followed by the North Fork coal mines. At the same time, Mesa County saw a major
reduction in the Oil and Gas industries. As the layoffs, failures, and
foreclosures mounted, so did the homeless situation.
Homelessness had increased enough locally, that in November
2014, the Abraham Connection (Delta County’s Homeless Shelter), made the decision
to move out of the Delta Methodist Church’s basement and begin construction of
a $750,000 facility,[14]
which opened in November 2015.
During the Nov. 2013–May 2014 season, the Abraham Connection
provided 840 bed nights. Contrast that number with 2,665 which was the total
number of bed nights provided during the Nov. 2016–May 2017 season.[15]
In three years’ time, that is a 217% increase in homelessness.
Looking at Delta County as a case study, with over 1,000 coal
mining jobs gone, a couple hundred timber related jobs chopped, and countless ‘mom
and pop’ stores shut for good, a rising homeless population and a school
district and hospital struggling under declining revenues due to ratcheted-down
property valuations, many policy makers have turned to marijuana as the
saviour.
Delta County Commissioner, Mark Roeber, told the Denver Post that he receives calls “almost
daily, saying marijuana is going to save us.”[16]
While Delta County, and the municipalities within the county, have sustained a
prohibition on commercial retail and cultivation since 2013, some towns have
explored the retail pot question.
In 2014 Paonia voters rejected a retail pot question, as was
the case in Hotchkiss in 2016. By 2017, Orchard City considered repealing their
prohibition on commercial marijuana, as did the Paonia town council.[17]
Aside from the cultivation operation owner, the grow master
or cultivator is the only employee who would earn what a displaced coal miner
had earned annually.[18]
Other jobs in the 420-industry would pay comparable to entry level west slope
salaries.[19]
While the Green Rush has more likely than not increased crime
and homelessness, the costs of these increases to local societies should be
calculated when setting budgets for social serves, programs, and law
enforcement. Communities should factor in all costs when considering the
economics of boosting a city or county’s coffers.
[5] Ibid.
[6] Ibid.
[7] Langford, Katie. “Homelessness
on rise for kids in District 51: Increase due to better identification,
economic and family reasons.” The Grand
Junction Daily Sentinel, 18 April 2016. A1+
[9] Ibid.
[11] Ibid.
[13] Delta County Treasurer’s
Office Report 2006-2016.
[14] Press Release Nov 2014. Abraham
Connection / Delta County Homeless Shelter.
[17] Soper, Matt. “Timeline
details Marijuana votes and regulations (Delta County, Colorado).” Delta County Independent, 1 March 2017.
[18] Op. Cit. see Finley article
and Borchardt article.
[19] Ibid.
