Marijuana advocates feel Gov. John Hickenlooper was a bit dramatic during his State of the State address Thursday when he spoke of consequences to legalization.

The governor – who has been no fan of legalization and opposed the Amendment 64 ballot effort in 2012 – again repeated a theme that the proliferation of marijuana has contributed to the state’s rising homeless population.

“There’s no question that marijuana and other drugs – in combination with mental illness or other disabling conditions – are essential contributors to chronic homelessness,” Hickenlooper said, as he addressed a joint session of the legislature.

“Tax revenue from marijuana sales can and should be used to help those who fall through the cracks … including hundreds of homeless vets … helping them find stable, supportive housing.”

The governor also said of legalization that “voters in Colorado asked us to be the nation’s laboratory for marijuana legalization.”

Mason Tvert, a leading proponent of Amendment 64 in 2012 and a spokesman for the Marijuana Policy Project, said it’s not quite as simple as voters “asking” to run the legalization “experiment.”

“I’d say it was more like they demanded an end to the failed experiment of marijuana prohibition,” Tvert said. “He has come around quite a bit, though, and he should be applauded for his administration’s work to get this system up, running and fine-tuned.”

The governor also spoke of the success legalization has been, thanks to thoughtful rules and regulations that have become a model for the rest of the nation.

“We rolled up our sleeves, and though it’s still in the experimental phase, we are trying to create a reasonable and efficient system for a new industry while responding to health and safety challenges,” Hickenlooper said.

He highlighted $7 million to educate youth, parents and adults about underage use. And efforts to curb the so-called “gray market,” in which people use loopholes to grow a large amount of plants legally, but then sell the finished product on the black market.

The governor’s office has requested $6 million in the upcoming budget to assist local law enforcement in cracking down on gray and black market activities.

Tvert wonders whether the governor – who co-founded Wynkoop Brewing Company in Denver in 1988 – might be too critical of marijuana.

“The governor still seems to hold marijuana to a much higher standard than alcohol, which he seems to embrace wholeheartedly, despite it being more dangerous than marijuana,” Tvert said.

“But he appears to be embracing a more realistic approach to marijuana in Colorado. You could say he has progressed from ‘Reefer Madness’ to reefer discomfort. Hopefully he will continue to evolve on the issue.”

Shawn Coleman, a well-known marijuana lobbyist in Colorado, said he was encouraged by the governor’s remarks this week.

“With status quo likely the best we can expect from the federal government in the near term, it is welcome to hear the governor speak of the successes of our system, and a renewed commitment to its integrity,” Coleman said. “State revenue for public benefit was the promise of Amendment 64.”

“As we continue this ‘experiment’ built on a seven-year foundation of the medical code, addressing consumer issues such as social consumption and product safety will have the double benefits of keeping federal faith in our program and continuing to provide revenue for important programs such as supporting the homeless and expanding drug abuse education, prevention and treatment to combat the opiate crisis.”