Libertarians in Colorado are flying high after their success in getting marijuana legalized in the state. In our little town of Aspen, there are now seven stores in which eager consumers – I perhaps should say addicts because one user recently held up a store, threatening staff with a hammer, because he absolutely positively had to have the $11,000 worth of weed – can satisfy their desire for the stuff. Score one for libertarians.
Not so fast. After a liberty of this sort is won, more government will inevitably be right there to monitor it. On Wednesday the Colorado Marijuana Enforcement and Taxation wing of the Department of Revenue swept through Aspen. Also known as The Marijuana Enforcement Division, acronym a handy MED, performed “compliance checks.” The Aspen Daily News says that the MED did not notify the Aspen Police Department (APD) until after the sweep, and that MED intervened because a young woman a few weeks shy of the legal age of 21 attempted to purchase marijuana at several stores.
The agents of MED, salaries between $55,000 and $82,000 plus benefits, performed and closed 3,200 due diligence and complaint investigations last year. MED is accepting applications to fill more posts. Congratulations to the libertarians for shrinking government.
