Posted on 05/20/2017 5:05:56 PM PDT by Beave Meister
town into homeless magnet By Joseph J. Kolb Published May 17, 2017 Fox News
NOW PLAYING New poll shows shift on marijuana legalization From his sidewalk vantage point in front of an outdoor equipment store in downtown Durango, Colo., Matthew Marinseck has seen a transformation in this mountain resort town.
The picturesque town near the New Mexico border, once a vibrant, upscale community dotted with luxury hotels, is being overrun by panhandlers – thanks, in part, to the legalization of marijuana.
The town suddenly became a haven for recreational pot users, drawing in transients, panhandlers and a large number of homeless drug addicts, according to officials and business owners. Many are coming from New Mexico, Arizona and even New York.
“Legalized marijuana has drawn a lot of kids here from other states and the impact has not all been good,” said Marinseck, 58, while holding a cardboard sign asking for “help.”
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
These homeless losers would be homeless losers wherever they were.
Moving to Colorado is only a side effect of legalized MJ.
They would be worthless no matter where they lived, it is not Colorado’s fault.
I love Colorado and Durango was so nice. Now not so much
There was a vintage rail line in Durango that was popular with steam locomotive buffs.
Teluride would be a better attraction for the homeless. An old hippie town.
In 20 or 30 years we should be able to see if legal marijuana becomes a basic, virtually harmless part of a culture (like scotch) or if it has a steadily degrading effect on family structure, work ethic and life expectancy.
I see states like CO as a science experiment.
And, for what it’s worth, I think the federal union of the several states was constructed for exactly this sort of situation — what works? what doesn’t work? Watch and learn from your neighbor.
Deed the sidewalks to the adjoining businesses. As private property, the sidewalks will be like an enclosed mall. The businesses could remove the vagrants with no recourse from the ACLU.
Two years ago, we were in Colorado Springs and Manitou Springs. You could see the dopeheads congregating at the stores by late morning.
>>Now not so much
Yep. On the down slope for sure. I’m a Colorado native. Seen big changes over the past 55+ years.
I think there are legitimate medical applications, but the nexus of recreational MJ abusers and Rainbow-liberal psychosis is making itself more self-evident every day.
Those people just plain can not THINK. The result is an increasing social burden of un-dead weight - which keeps the L.I.F.E.R. bureaucrats in the welfare system busy.
The big lie/question is whether or not the velocity of those government dollars is able to sustain the system.
Didn’t seem to work so well for Venezuela... or any other Jesuit/communist experiment.
Good weather, easy to live with minimal “housing”,
Welfare brings income up to real “poverty line” (existential sustenance).
Cheap legal dope provides occupying entertainment.
Quite an acceptable life for many.
Only problem is such a life contributes nothing to its own continuance, leaching off the abundance of the productive.
Durango-Silverton still runs. The problem with Durango and the legal pot is that it is the biggest city near the 4 corners (of 4 states) area.
No problem. With all that extra tax money, Gov. Chickenpooper can house the homeless in local hotels, feed them at local restaurants, and provide them with free medical marijuana under Medicaid.
My favorite SW Colorado town overran with bums. certainly not the mining town I first visited back in 1954!
I remember when Silverton had dirt streets and horse hitches in front of the stores.
And Pagosa Springs now has a Walmart!
Problem is now that it’s legal in Colorado it isnt good enough. People are looking for stronger and stronger stuff. A good friend who’s a parole officer there says that this stuff called tar is now the rage. Little towns are overrun with this kind of crap. Where does it end? Within a 10 mile radius where we have a summer retreat in the mountains there are no less than 5 some sort of pot shop; edibles, medicinal so on, plus the dumb ass neighbor that sells it out of his home because he claims some sort of sickness that gives him the privilege of growing it. Night and day there’s some scuss bag up and down our used to be desolate dirt road. Once a beautiful getaway is dotted with trailers, lean tos and communes. Trying to sell and get far away.
**Durango-Silverton still runs.***
I remember when it ran down to Aztec and Farmington. The tracks were east-west in front (north) of the hospital back then.
Why am I not surprised. Human nature is so predictable. More to follow.
Sorry but you asked for it with your drug vote
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