Colorado and Washington legalize marijuana

 Gov. John Hickenlooper signed amendment 64 making the personal use, possession and limited home growing of marijuana for adults 21 years of age and older legal in Colorado in December.
 Colorado and Washington are the first two states in modern history to legalize the use of marijuana.
 "Certain states are legalizing marijuana now because instead of trying to fight a losing battle they're finding a way to profit off it," said senior finance major, Chanel Cox.
 Adults 21 and older can possess up to an ounce of marijuana and grow up to six plants privately. Medical marijuana patients are allowed to possess up to two ounces and more in some cases.
 Currently, people who are not registered medical marijuana patients cannot purchase marijuana from retail marijuana establishments.
They can obtain cannabis by cultivating it themselves or they can accept a gift of up to an ounce of marijuana from another person 21 or older.
If all stays on track retail marijuana establishments will be up and running by Jan. 1, 2014.
The sale of marijuana will resemble the sale of alcohol. Adults will be able to enter a retail location, present a valid ID and then be able to purchase marijuana for personal purposes.
Senior education majorSade Johnson said: "I would not buy weed at dispensaries; I would help out the local man who is selling it on the corner. Buying marijuana from a dispensary is like the government is making money off us. Next thing they will say is you can buy weed from Wal-Mart."
During a ABC interview last December with Barbara Walters President Obama said that he would not make it top priority to prosecute marijuana users in Colorado and Washington. Members of the United States House of Representatives petitioned the federal government for exemption from the Controlled Substance Act in the two states.
"Everywhere people are smoking except in those certain conservative states that are getting left behind, and maybe if marijuana was legal it will stop all the deaths over the drug," said sophomore animal science major India Cotton.