Denver, Housing, And Marijuana

I’ve lived in Denver, Colorado, for more than 30 years. I moved here at the age of 19, all the way back in the late eighties. During this time, I’ve seen the city grow and change considerably. I don’t recognize Denver any longer.

In 2012, the 64th Amendment legalized marijuana in Colorado. Immediately afterward, the population in Denver exploded. Some refuse to admit the correlation between marijuana and the population increase, but I was here, and I watched it happen.

I remember the first day of legalization. There were out-of-state license plates everywhere and lines of people waiting to buy weed all over the city. Apparently, the power of the drug was too much for most smokers.

Denver is saturated with marijuana. People smoke it from home to the office and everywhere in between. There are areas all over the city where the smell of weed being cultivated fills the air, including highways and residential neighborhoods. Except for a few condemned buildings, I don’t think there’s an empty warehouse in the city. The marijuana growers have purchased or rented out everything.

The average cost of a home in The United States is about $200,000. The average price of a home in Denver is over $600,000. Keep in mind that’s the average, not a top-shelf house in an upscale neighborhood. Renting an apartment isn’t any better; those prices have shot through the roof as well.

My wife and children live in Texas. They’re waiting for me to join them. I have a few more tasks to finish before moving, but I’ll be there with my family shortly. Even though I’ve flown to Houston four times in the past two months, I miss them more every day. There isn’t anything keeping me in Colorado. Besides, I don’t smoke weed. 😊

Joseph Shanklin

January 15, 2021