is pot use increasing denver's homeless population?

[shart_attack]

LOL at this guy.

By Radley Balko, The Washington Post—The Denver Post has a story this weekend claiming that marijuana is contributing to the city’s homeless problem. It was picked up on Drudge, then went out over the Associated Press wire. The headlines that have run with the story suggest a city filling up with drug addicts whose habit put them on the streets. But that isn’t really what the story is about.

When Edward Madewell’s mother asked him to come home after five years of homelessness and drift, he bought a Greyhound bus ticket and headed for Missouri.

Halfway there, his mother told him he would have to give up the marijuana he uses to control seizures and switch to prescribed medicine. Madewell changed his plans and headed for Colorado, where recreational weed has been sold legally since Jan. 1.

“I’m not going to stop using something organic,” he said. “I don’t like the pills.”

Madewell is among the homeless lured to Colorado by legal marijuana who are showing up at shelters and other facilities, stressing a system that has seen an unusually high number of people needing help this summer.​

The story then relays anecdotes about young people who came to Colorado to look for jobs in the marijuana business and have checked into homeless shelters until they find work — or get frustrated and leave. So legal pot isn’t making people homeless so much as it might be drawing people to Denver, some of whom may already be homeless, others of whom are staying at shelters while looking for jobs. This sounds less like a link between pot and homelessness and more like what you might call the Amsterdam effect — when a vice is only legal in one place, everyone goes to that place to partake in the vice, which also means that place bears a disproportionate share of the externalities. As more states legalize pot, Colorado will become less of a destination for pot smokers.

But it’s far from clear that even that is happening in Colorado right now. Yes, a worker at one homeless shelter told the Post, “Of the new kids we’re seeing, the majority are saying they’re here because of the weed. They’re traveling through. It is very unfortunate.” But the director of another shelter wouldn’t confirm the idea at all: “I have no idea if the marijuana law has had an impact.” A third blamed the surge in young homeless people on the economy. So of the three shelter directors interviewed, just one made a connection to pot. Yet that’s the headline.

When the Denver Post reporter tries to actually quantify how many people are checking into homeless shelters because of pot, this is the best he can do:

Last summer, the Salvation Army’s single men’s Crossroads Shelter in Denver housed an average of 225 men each night.

This summer’s average is about 300 per night, and when other shelters are full, the organization provides a bed for as many as 350, Flagg said.

In the past, the shelter’s residents averaged between 35 and 60 years old. “Now we are seeing a much larger number of 18- to 25-year- olds.”

An informal survey performed at the shelter suggested that about 25 percent of the increase in population was related to marijuana, Flagg said.​

So this shelter is seeing on average about 75 more homeless people per night than in a typical summer, and according to an informal survey, one in four of those 75 say they’re in Denver for reasons related to legal marijuana. That’s about 19 people. At one shelter, 19 people self-reported that pot was a contributing factor to their homelessness. That hardly seems newsworthy, much less anything resembling a crisis.

Take pot out of the story, and you get a better sense of how drummed up all of this feels. For the sake of argument, let’s assume that the increase in occupants at this particular shelter is representative of homelessness across Denver. Let’s also assume that the informal survey taken at this shelter is scientifically accurate and also representative of all of Denver. Assuming all of that, and taking out the 19 pot cases, we’d find that there has still been a 25 percent increase in homelessness across Denver that has nothing to do with marijuana. What’s behind that? That seems far more newsworthy.

Of course, it isn’t newsworthy, precisely because we shouldn’t draw broad conclusions about homelessness in Denver based on some anecdotes and one informal, unscientific survey taken in a single homeless shelter. There seems to be an eagerness to find consequences for pot legalization in places where there’s simply no evidence one way or the other. We saw this in the weeks after legalization, when there was a rush to pin a car accident on a “drugged driver.” The truth, as we’d learn months later, is that the driver was black-out drunk. We’ve also seen it in the scary stories about a rise in pot-related crime in Denver that are based on little more than anecdotes from anti-pot law enforcement officials. The truth is that crime in Denver has fallen since legalization. And we now see it with a mix of anecdotes and an attempt to attach significance to numbers that really aren’t that significant at all.

By the way, I’m not arguing that pot legalization hasn’t led to a surge in homelessness among young adults in Denver. I don’t know one way or another. Perhaps a year from now, Denver’s homeless shelters will still be at or above capacity, and we’ll see compelling evidence that the overflow is due to legal marijuana. My only point is that there’s no such compelling evidence right now.

Radley Balko blogs about criminal justice, the drug war and civil liberties for The Washington Post. He is the author of the book "Rise of the Warrior Cop: The Militarization of America's Police Forces."

Is legal pot causing a surge in homelessness in Denver? Who knows! - The Washington Post

 

[Peach]

Probably, along with liquor, and publicity.

 

[DigitalDrifter]

This will just lend itself to Colorado's growing reputation of being the slacker capitol of America.

 

[shart_attack]

This will just lend itself to Colorado's growing reputation of being the slacker capitol of America.

... Which means Broncos fans can forget about winning another Super Bowl.

 

[Peach]

Talk about "slackers":

Federal marijuana bill would legalize low-THC cannabis - CNN.com

Doctors in Macon, Georgia, told Janea Cox that her daughter, Haleigh, might not live another three months.
That was the middle of March, when Haleigh's brain was being short-circuited by hundreds of seizures a day, overrunning the array of five potent drugs meant to control them. Worse, the drugs were damaging Haleigh's organs.
"She was maxed out," Cox said. "She'd quit breathing several times a day, and the doctors blamed it on the seizure medications."
Cox had heard that a form of medical marijuana might help, but it wasn't available in central Georgia. So a week after hearing the ominous diagnosis, she and Haleigh packed up and moved to Colorado Springs, Colorado. There, Haleigh began a regimen of cannabis oil: four times a day and once at night.
By summer, she was down to just a handful of seizures a day. In less than three months, doctors were able to wean her off Depakote, a powerful medication that had been damaging her liver.
Janea Cox and her daughter Haleigh fly to Colorado Springs, Colorado.
Janea Cox and her daughter Haleigh fly to Colorado Springs, Colorado.
Haleigh had never been able to walk or talk. But freed from seizures in Colorado, "She said 'Mama' for the first time," Cox said. "She's playing with puzzles; she's walking. She's almost being a normal child."
Despite all the good news, Cox is living in limbo. Her husband, a paramedic, couldn't afford to leave his job and pension; he still lives and works in Forsyth, Georgia. The family is relying on charity to keep their Colorado apartment for the next few months; beyond that, the future is uncertain.
A bill being introduced Monday in the U.S. House of Representatives could be Cox's ticket home. The three-page bill would amend the Controlled Substances Act -- the federal law that criminalizes marijuana -- to exempt plants with an extremely low percentage of THC, the chemical that makes users high.

 

[aaronleland]

So young people are moving to Colorado to work in the marijuana industry, and living in shelters till they can find a job? It reminds me of those young people who move to Hollywood to work in the film industry and never find work. There are idiots in every group. Legalizing marijuana has nothing to do with it. They would just be living somewhere else without a job.

EDIT: Probably Bush's fault.

 

[Peach]

So young people are moving to Colorado to work in the marijuana industry, and living in shelters till they can find a job? It reminds me of those young people who move to Hollywood to work in the film industry and never find work. There are idiots in every group. Legalizing marijuana has nothing to do with it. They would just be living somewhere else without a job.

EDIT: Probably Bush's fault.

Florida has our share of those who come to "live on beach", believing shelter is avalable, they will catch their own food...................

 

[R.C. Christian]

Crapitol of Hipster USA!

 

[ABikerSailor]

Talk about "slackers":

Federal marijuana bill would legalize low-THC cannabis - CNN.com

Doctors in Macon, Georgia, told Janea Cox that her daughter, Haleigh, might not live another three months.
That was the middle of March, when Haleigh's brain was being short-circuited by hundreds of seizures a day, overrunning the array of five potent drugs meant to control them. Worse, the drugs were damaging Haleigh's organs.
"She was maxed out," Cox said. "She'd quit breathing several times a day, and the doctors blamed it on the seizure medications."
Cox had heard that a form of medical marijuana might help, but it wasn't available in central Georgia. So a week after hearing the ominous diagnosis, she and Haleigh packed up and moved to Colorado Springs, Colorado. There, Haleigh began a regimen of cannabis oil: four times a day and once at night.
By summer, she was down to just a handful of seizures a day. In less than three months, doctors were able to wean her off Depakote, a powerful medication that had been damaging her liver.
Janea Cox and her daughter Haleigh fly to Colorado Springs, Colorado.
Janea Cox and her daughter Haleigh fly to Colorado Springs, Colorado.
Haleigh had never been able to walk or talk. But freed from seizures in Colorado, "She said 'Mama' for the first time," Cox said. "She's playing with puzzles; she's walking. She's almost being a normal child."
Despite all the good news, Cox is living in limbo. Her husband, a paramedic, couldn't afford to leave his job and pension; he still lives and works in Forsyth, Georgia. The family is relying on charity to keep their Colorado apartment for the next few months; beyond that, the future is uncertain.
A bill being introduced Monday in the U.S. House of Representatives could be Cox's ticket home. The three-page bill would amend the Controlled Substances Act -- the federal law that criminalizes marijuana -- to exempt plants with an extremely low percentage of THC, the chemical that makes users high.

Good article. I heard about this young lady on the news a few weeks back.

Incidentally, did you know that studies have shown that cannabis also helps with Alzheimer's?

After all the studies that have been done PROVING that cannabis is medically beneficial, I'm still wondering why it is a Schedule I drug?

Schedule I drugs are classified as highly addictive (marijuana isn't physically addictive at all), and also classified as having no medicinal benefit (of which marijuana has been proven to help with many different conditions).

 

[shart_attack]

Talk about "slackers":

Federal marijuana bill would legalize low-THC cannabis - CNN.com

Doctors in Macon, Georgia, told Janea Cox that her daughter, Haleigh, might not live another three months.
That was the middle of March, when Haleigh's brain was being short-circuited by hundreds of seizures a day, overrunning the array of five potent drugs meant to control them. Worse, the drugs were damaging Haleigh's organs.
"She was maxed out," Cox said. "She'd quit breathing several times a day, and the doctors blamed it on the seizure medications."
Cox had heard that a form of medical marijuana might help, but it wasn't available in central Georgia. So a week after hearing the ominous diagnosis, she and Haleigh packed up and moved to Colorado Springs, Colorado. There, Haleigh began a regimen of cannabis oil: four times a day and once at night.
By summer, she was down to just a handful of seizures a day. In less than three months, doctors were able to wean her off Depakote, a powerful medication that had been damaging her liver.
Janea Cox and her daughter Haleigh fly to Colorado Springs, Colorado.
Janea Cox and her daughter Haleigh fly to Colorado Springs, Colorado.
Haleigh had never been able to walk or talk. But freed from seizures in Colorado, "She said 'Mama' for the first time," Cox said. "She's playing with puzzles; she's walking. She's almost being a normal child."
Despite all the good news, Cox is living in limbo. Her husband, a paramedic, couldn't afford to leave his job and pension; he still lives and works in Forsyth, Georgia. The family is relying on charity to keep their Colorado apartment for the next few months; beyond that, the future is uncertain.
A bill being introduced Monday in the U.S. House of Representatives could be Cox's ticket home. The three-page bill would amend the Controlled Substances Act -- the federal law that criminalizes marijuana -- to exempt plants with an extremely low percentage of THC, the chemical that makes users high.

Good article. I heard about this young lady on the news a few weeks back.

Incidentally, did you know that studies have shown that cannabis also helps with Alzheimer's?

After all the studies that have been done PROVING that cannabis is medically beneficial, I'm still wondering why it is a Schedule I drug?

Schedule I drugs are classified as highly addictive (marijuana isn't physically addictive at all), and also classified as having no medicinal benefit (of which marijuana has been proven to help with many different conditions).

Yeah, but see, addictive or not, pot use among Denver's homeless folks sure as shinola doesn't seem to be givin' them a whole lotta zest to get up off the urine-scented couches in the shelters and the alleys and find gainful employment, either.

Just sayin'.

 

[ABikerSailor]

Pot use among Denver's homeless? Really? Because if they're homeless, they sure as shit aren't going to be able to afford to buy cannabis, especially at the prices it goes for in the shops. I know, because I was up there a month or so back and checked out the shops.

Besides.....................where would they smoke it? It's illegal to smoke pot in public in Colorado.

 

[DigitalDrifter]

This will just lend itself to Colorado's growing reputation of being the slacker capitol of America.

... Which means Broncos fans can forget about winning another Super Bowl.

I fully expect Peyton to choke at least one more big playoff game away.

 

[DigitalDrifter]

Pot use among Denver's homeless? Really? Because if they're homeless, they sure as shit aren't going to be able to afford to buy cannabis, especially at the prices it goes for in the shops. I know, because I was up there a month or so back and checked out the shops.

Besides.....................where would they smoke it? It's illegal to smoke pot in public in Colorado.

Yes, I fully well expect all rules, regulation, and laws to be followed to a "T".

 

[aaronleland]

Pot use among Denver's homeless? Really? Because if they're homeless, they sure as shit aren't going to be able to afford to buy cannabis, especially at the prices it goes for in the shops. I know, because I was up there a month or so back and checked out the shops.

Besides.....................where would they smoke it? It's illegal to smoke pot in public in Colorado.

Yes, I fully well expect all rules, regulation, and laws to be followed to a "T".

It works in gun free zones. Right? Right, guys?

 

[aaronleland]

 

[Peach]

Talk about "slackers":

Federal marijuana bill would legalize low-THC cannabis - CNN.com

Doctors in Macon, Georgia, told Janea Cox that her daughter, Haleigh, might not live another three months.
That was the middle of March, when Haleigh's brain was being short-circuited by hundreds of seizures a day, overrunning the array of five potent drugs meant to control them. Worse, the drugs were damaging Haleigh's organs.
"She was maxed out," Cox said. "She'd quit breathing several times a day, and the doctors blamed it on the seizure medications."
Cox had heard that a form of medical marijuana might help, but it wasn't available in central Georgia. So a week after hearing the ominous diagnosis, she and Haleigh packed up and moved to Colorado Springs, Colorado. There, Haleigh began a regimen of cannabis oil: four times a day and once at night.
By summer, she was down to just a handful of seizures a day. In less than three months, doctors were able to wean her off Depakote, a powerful medication that had been damaging her liver.
Janea Cox and her daughter Haleigh fly to Colorado Springs, Colorado.
Janea Cox and her daughter Haleigh fly to Colorado Springs, Colorado.
Haleigh had never been able to walk or talk. But freed from seizures in Colorado, "She said 'Mama' for the first time," Cox said. "She's playing with puzzles; she's walking. She's almost being a normal child."
Despite all the good news, Cox is living in limbo. Her husband, a paramedic, couldn't afford to leave his job and pension; he still lives and works in Forsyth, Georgia. The family is relying on charity to keep their Colorado apartment for the next few months; beyond that, the future is uncertain.
A bill being introduced Monday in the U.S. House of Representatives could be Cox's ticket home. The three-page bill would amend the Controlled Substances Act -- the federal law that criminalizes marijuana -- to exempt plants with an extremely low percentage of THC, the chemical that makes users high.

Good article. I heard about this young lady on the news a few weeks back.

Incidentally, did you know that studies have shown that cannabis also helps with Alzheimer's?

After all the studies that have been done PROVING that cannabis is medically beneficial, I'm still wondering why it is a Schedule I drug?

Schedule I drugs are classified as highly addictive (marijuana isn't physically addictive at all), and also classified as having no medicinal benefit (of which marijuana has been proven to help with many different conditions).

Yeah, but see, addictive or not, pot use among Denver's homeless folks sure as shinola doesn't seem to be givin' them a whole lotta zest to get up off the urine-scented couches in the shelters and the alleys and find gainful employment, either.

Just sayin'.

Unlike a 5th of whiskey, which increases productivity

 

[DigitalDrifter]

Good article. I heard about this young lady on the news a few weeks back.

Incidentally, did you know that studies have shown that cannabis also helps with Alzheimer's?

After all the studies that have been done PROVING that cannabis is medically beneficial, I'm still wondering why it is a Schedule I drug?

Schedule I drugs are classified as highly addictive (marijuana isn't physically addictive at all), and also classified as having no medicinal benefit (of which marijuana has been proven to help with many different conditions).

Yeah, but see, addictive or not, pot use among Denver's homeless folks sure as shinola doesn't seem to be givin' them a whole lotta zest to get up off the urine-scented couches in the shelters and the alleys and find gainful employment, either.

Just sayin'.

Unlike a 5th of whiskey, which increases productivity

Even you huh Peach ?