Posted on 02/05/2015 7:01:36 AM PST by george76
DENVER — Public tax money very likely paid for welfare recipients to smoke the equivalent of about 17 pounds of weed (or approximately 9,000 joints) in 2014. Compared with what the rest of Colorado ingested, that’s a small percentage, but controversial none the less.
...
the Colorado Department of Human Services calls the “Quest” Electronic Benefit Transfer Card under its Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Cash Assistance program. This account is not meant to be used for food, rather “a family’s most basic needs.”
It’s essentially a bank debit card, loaded up with from $200 to $1,000 in cash every month for a low-income family or person. While the majority of card holders bought appropriate items such as diapers and fuel for their cars, others bought marijuana.
...
Withdrawals inside pot shops ranged from $20 to $400 with a total of at least 465 separate transactions. ATMs in 82 different marijuana dispensaries were used; that`s a quarter of the licensed recreational stores statewide.
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did not count 209 additional welfare card transactions for $23,100 dollars from a machine at Annie Oakley’s in Central City because there is a convenience and liquor store on the property as well.
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When we asked Human Services if any welfare recipient had privileges suspended in 2014 we received an email that simply said, “To date, none has been revoked.”
Colorado`s Republican state lawmakers last year tried to ban welfare-for-weed cash ATM transactions, but were blocked by Democrats.
(Excerpt) Read more at kdvr.com ...
If you keep them high all of the time, they don’t care who the hell is ruling the country or taking away their freedom.
At least it means more leafy greens consumed in place of processed foods.
This will be a hard thing to stop since as I understand it, pot is a cash only business so once someone goes to an ATM with their card and get cash, they can pretty much do with it as they want.
Hey, why not? In Soviet Russia, they used hand out free vodka to the prols to keep them dumb, happy and in line. Its the Democrats’ dream to have a bunch of docile, dopey voters addicted to the public teat and voting for them to keep the government money, and now government pot, coming.
White privilege whiners...EBT peeps need tokes, too.
Obammy will have a solution. Dems will say it is a constitutional right to have marijuana. Its not fair that the 1% can afford marijuana while working single moms, and minorities can’t afford it. The government will come up with a distribution plan just like the obamma phones, and community college. :)
Any Colorado politician and/or public official who did not see this coming should be fired and banned from future office/public employment .
No no no no no!!!! That can't possibly be true. Conserving Freedom said that *OUR* freedom wouldn't be jeopardized by people smoking weed.
Apparently, food is no longer a basic need - but apparently cell phones and weed ARE basic needs.
“Wild in the Streets” is becoming a reality
Next will be a bonus dope ration card when you turn in your “absentee” ballot or appear for early voting.
An even bigger problem is the diversion of prescription narcotics by Medicaid patients.
But at least this creates a greater demand for law enforcement and the criminal justice system. Transforming people into pot heads and narcotic addicts makes the public easier to control.
I’m so glad that the DEA protects drug cartels; border enforcement has stood down, and the CIA protects the opium fields and ships in the narcotics.
Problem. Reaction. Solution. Qui bono. The government of course.
Just pay for their growlights.
As the Indians used to say, “Teach a man to fish...” /S
Welfare money has been buying pot and getting hippies high for fifty years. This is nothing new.
LOL! And it is a crop amazingly easy to cultivate. Why not teach them to grow their own and cut out the middlemen?
No no no no no!!!! That can't possibly be true. Conserving Freedom said that *OUR* freedom wouldn't be jeopardized by people smoking weed.
Our freedom is infringed by welfare not weed; nothing prevents EBT card holders from using the cash for tobacco or NBA tickets, yet you don't - I trust? - say those things are thereby infringing our freedom.
And alcohol
And lottery tickets
Colorado`s Republican state lawmakers last year tried to ban welfare-for-weed cash ATM transactions, but were blocked by Democrats.
There's yer trouble.
Correct. You can't go in and pay with a card or check because banks won't deal with legal pot sellers -or some gun shops apparently- thanks to the feds.
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