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Colorado Cannabis Collecting Initiative

 Collection
Identifier: AMNT

Scope and Contents

The Colorado Cannabis Collecting Initiative consists of materials dated 1973 to 2021, with the bulk falling from 2012 to 2016. The collection contains text-based materials, photographs, ephemera, and oral histories documenting the passage of legislation regarding recreational marijuana and its socio-economic impact. Materials concern production, regulation, media coverage, business, tourism, pro and con public and scholarly opinions, and medical and social justice issues. Material types include oral histories, newspaper clippings, articles, books, and ephemera.

Dates

  • Creation: 1973-2021
  • Creation: Majority of material found within 2012-2016

Creator

Restrictions on Access

There are no access restrictions on this collection.

Restrictions on Use

Not all of the material in the collection is in the public domain. Researchers are responsible for addressing copyright issues.

History

In the United States, Colorado has been in the forefront of regulating the use of medical marijuana, and by 2010 the state had established a sophisticated system of taxation and revenue generation for the medical sale of cannabis through medical marijuana dispensaries. The subsequent push to legalize the recreational use of marijuana within Colorado, beyond its use for medical purposes, was controversial and highly debated. The Colorado Marijuana Legalization Amendment, also known as Amendment 64, was a ballot measure introduced to amend the Colorado State Constitution, outlining a statewide drug policy for the recreational use of cannabis. The passing of Amendment 64 by the citizens of Colorado in November 2012 was considered a historic event, which generated significant national and international media coverage.

Enacted as Article 18, Section 16 of the state constitution, Amendment 64 addressed personal use and regulation of marijuana for adults 21 and over, as well as commercial cultivation, manufacture, and sale, effectively regulating marijuana in a manner similar to alcohol. The commercial sale of marijuana to the general public, which began on January 1, 2014, made marijuana a cash crop. While the recreational use of cannabis remains illegal at the federal level, 7 U.S. states, in addition to Colorado, legalized the recreational use of marijuana within their state boundaries between 2012 and 2017. As of the spring of 2018, 30 U.S. states have legalized the medical use of marijuana through various methods of regulation.

Extent

5.5 linear feet

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

The Colorado Marijuana Legalization Amendment, also known as Amendment 64, was a historic initiative ballot measure to amend the Colorado State Constitution, outlining a statewide drug policy for the cultivation and recreational use of cannabis. The measure passed on November 6, 2012. The collection contains text-based materials, photographs, ephemera, and oral histories documenting the passage of legislation regarding recreational marijuana and its socio-economic impact.

Arrangement

The collection consists of 3 series in 4 boxes, 8 flat files, and 1 rolled object:

Series 1: Oral histories, 2015-2016

Series 2: Ephemera, 2005-2012 and undated

Series 3: Publications, 1973-2016 and undated

Subseries 3.1: Newspaper clippings, 2013-2016

Subseries 3.2: Articles, 1973-2016 and undated

Subseries 3.3: Books, magazines, and other publications, 1974-2015

Acquisition

The Colorado Cannabis Collecting Initiative was acquired from Mason Tvert in October 2015 and Jane Severance in May 2016. Additional donors contributed to the collection beginning in 2015. Acquisition of materials is ongoing.

Online Materials

Some materials have been scanned and are available through the Colorado State University Libraries website. In the electronic version of this document, direct links appear in context.

Related Materials

The Colorado State University Libraries holds a number of related materials documenting the production, use, and advertisement of marijuana in Colorado. Materials include:

The Collegian, 1970 December 2, page 11 - photograph, Radio Shack's New Smoker's Inn Corner.

The Silver Spruce, 1971, page 13 - photograph, women lighting a joint with a candle.

The Agricultural Experiment Station Bulletin, 1939 September, Bulletin 455, page 29-30. S41.E28 no. 441-460 - entry on Hemp, Cannabis sativa.

Rocky Mountain High: an Environmental History of Cannabis in the American West, thesis by Nick Johnson, 2014, http://hdl.handle.net/10217/83977

Processing

Processing began in 2016 and was completed in July 2018. Materials were rehoused in acid-free folders and boxes.

Subject

Title
Guide to the Colorado Cannabis Collecting Initiative
Status
Edited Full Draft
Author
Prepared by Karen Spilman; revised by Victoria Lopez-Terrill; updated by Linda Meyer
Date
Copyright 2016, 2018
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin
Language of description note
Finding aid written in English.

Repository Details

Part of the CSU Libraries Archives & Special Collections Repository

Contact:
Fort Collins Colorado 80523-1019 USA
970-491-1844