Webinar Marijuana Legalization Impacts & Issues
Marijuana Legalization Impacts & Issues
Course information:
In 2012, Colorado was the first state to legalize recreational marijuana and Denver was the first city in the world to license its’ production and sale. Eventually Denver would have over 220 locations where marijuana could be sold and over 1100 licenses issued to businesses where marijuana could be grown, tested, refined, or dispensed. Legalization was a ‘tidal wave’ of unexpected impacts and problems that hit every city agency. To address these issues, the City had to create numerous new policies, procedures, and laws. In 2014 the Denver Marijuana Policy Team was formed to build collaboration between city agencies, the state, and the new industry to build the required governmental infrastructure.
This course is designed to familiarize the students with what they can expect during the legalization process and provide steps they can take now to prepare their police department and city. This course includes an overview of what we wish we knew when we started, including the boom in the black market, crime trends, demand for data collection, employee policy, officer training, industry cooperation, the neighborhood impacts of home grows, the dangers of THC extractions, and the political pressures that accompany the marijuana legalization movement.
The need for cooperation among City and State Agencies cannot be over stressed, because of this, employees and supervisors from across city agencies are encouraged to attend.
Course Instructor: James Henning
James Henning served over 31 years with the Denver Police Department and recently retired after attaining the rank of Commander. In 2012, James became Lieutenant of the Vice/Drug control unit. That same Fall, Colorado was the first state to legalize the production, sale, and possession of recreational Marijuana.
In his role as lieutenant, James took the lead in developing the Denver Police Department’s policy, procedure, and implementing Municipal Code and State Law to address the complicated issues created by the new law.
James was a founding member of the Denver Marijuana Policy Team and worked collaboratively with other city agencies, state agencies, and community organizations in the development of polices and collaboration. James has made countless trainings and presentations concerning the impact of marijuana legalization to Law Enforcement, law makers, judges, legislative aids, prosecutors, media and other interested parties from across the State of Colorado, the United States, and the world.
