Editor:

The marijuana tourism industry is a burgeoning one with great potential because of its recent legalization. (See “Expert: Cannabis industry has arrived,” in the Aug. 7 Colorado Statesman.) As the negative stigmas associated with marijuana use fade away, just about every tourist visiting Colorado and the other legalized states now curiously enters recreational marijuana storefronts to see what might catch his or her fancy. People who haven’t used marijuana in years, or sometimes never before, are now putting their inhibitions aside to try cannabis. Because of the overwhelming array of edibles, tinctures, topicals, and even transdermal patches available. people don’t even have to smoke to partake in the festivities. However, with marijuana moving into more industrialized facilities for massive-scale production, it is important that consumers seek out organically grown, pesticide-free marijuana that is cultivated with the end user in mind.One of the cannabis tourism industry’s major surprises is the fact that it has caused such little negative impact. With the laws in the state now allowing for possession of small amounts of cannabis, arrests have gone down, thus allowing police officers to focus on real criminals distributing truly harmful drugs like cocaine and heroin. Tax income from marijuana tourism is also a huge bonus, as it is being used to directly impact the legalized states in a positive fashion through education funding and infrastructure improvements. People are also now obtaining good paying jobs in grow facilities and dispensaries, entrepreneurial tourism start-ups, and ancillary companies that produce lighting, air conditioning units, and other needed instruments for the industry.

Marijuana tourism is a fantastic new industry filled with promise, but a slight issue is that although anyone 21+ can purchase cannabis, there is virtually nowhere to use it. With so many people using marijuana in the state, I feel it is essential that we provide people with a safe option to consume it. That said, I think we will see a shift towards similarities with the wine industry. Enter the marijuana winery, complete with grow facility tours, educational seminars, and even samplings of different products. I believe this is the direction marijuana is headed and as time goes on, I hope we can offer a winery-type experience to showcase this plant that we are putting our hearts and souls into producing, similar to what winemakers have been doing for a very long time.

Anthony FranciosiFounder, The Honest Marijuana Co.Oak Creek