Jacob Redmond
Well-Known Member
Drive or fly into the Mile High City and soon, there it is, the sweet smell of success.
"It's kind of like an oil rush, but a green rush," said one Texas traveler, who didn't want to give her name.
Texans are flocking to Denver for more than just a thrill on the ski slopes. The lure is a true Rocky Mountain high, courtesy of Colorado's high-flying legal marijuana industry.
"I came to Denver to smoke, and I've smoked," said Girard. "I've had a great time."
One year since Colorado legalized recreational pot, the craving hasn't faded. We hopped on board the Canni-bus to see for ourselves.
"We get a lot of very interesting customers," said Danny Schaefer, Chief Operating Officer of my My420Tours.
Every Saturday he packs this black limo with out of state visitors. And Texans lead the way looking for an experience that could get them busted back home.
"Colorado already has a booming tourist economy," said Schaefer. "We're just sprinkling cannabis on it."
The bus criss-crosses downtown Denver. On the ride, parents puff with potheads, mechanical engineers smoke with high school dropouts. It's a cross section of America side by side, smoking all the weed they want. It's 100 percent legal.
"It's bridging the social gap unlike anything I've ever seen before," said Schaefer. "You could be sitting next to a businessman from Tokyo right next to a guy from Austin, Texas."
The tours stop at grow sites where curious Texans get an up close look at all the green. There's so much marijuana growing in Denver, it's tough to find vacant warehouse space.
"The weed is amazing," said Girard.
For Texans used to smoking discreetly, this very public getaway is well worth the $99 price tag.
"Tourism is going up. I flew up here," said Girard. "I'm spending money on these attractions, spending money on food."
Just outside downtown Denver, you'll find a cozy little hotel where check-in is at 4. Happy hour is at 4:20.
"We're pioneers," said Joel Schneider, owner of the Bud and Breakfast.
Schneider is a former lawyer. His wife Lisa is an ex-PTA president. The couple moved here from New York to open the Adagio Bed and Breakfast. It's now known in Denver as the Bud and Breakfast.
It may look like any other bed and breakfast, but if you take a closer look, this one's a little different. Texans are taking note and flocking here to light up.
"We've had professors, lawyers, doctors," said Schneider. "It's the ability to sit with people and enjoy this beautiful product called marijuana."
On this winter weekend, four of their six rooms were all booked by Texans.
"It's a weed-cation," said Sue.
We met Bill and Sue at the Bud And Breakfast. They asked us not to use their real names. They're a young successful couple who regularly smoke weed. Both are employed as managers back home.
"There's nothing like a place where you don't feel like a criminal," said Bill.
"It's very weird to walk into a house where they say, 'Oh wait, here's our cannabis bar,'" said Sue. "That would never happen in Texas."
They're here celebrating Bill's birthday weekend with a little weed and relaxation.
"It's legal here," said Sue. "So why not go to a dispensary and maybe try it."
But these getaways do carry some risk. Even when the marijuana is legal, you can still flunk a company drug test for smoking pot and get fired. And it's very illegal to stash Colorado weed into your bags and fly home with it, though some Texans clearly do.
"It's all hush hush," said Bill. "Very few people know that we smoke and that's intentional."
Those worries haven't slowed travelers. Since the law changed, tourists have made pit stops at Colorado's more than 300 recreational dispensaries. They're out in the open in plain sight. Places like Starbuds see some of the most tourists.
"We get tons of calls from the airport," said Brett Ahroon, manager at Starbuds Dispensary. "People want to know how far we are from the airport."
Out of towners can buy a quarter of an ounce of weed per day.
"Texans actually know their weed pretty well," said Ian Williams, a budtender at Colorado Harvest Company.
Tourists are not shy about spending their money. Twenty-five percent of sales at Colorado Harvest Company are to tourists. They buy everything from joints to edibles, patches, even oils. Out of town visitors bought 8.2 tons of recreational pot last year alone.
It's a constantly evolving industry that's already brought in more than $295 million in sales. One year in, Texans from all walks of life have proven they have an appetite for the green stuff.
"Colorado is full of pothead Republicans, and it's true," said Ahroon. "From what I've seen here, so is Texas."
And they hope it will keep them coming back long after the high is over.
News Moderator: Jacob Redmond 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Rocky Mountain High: Texans flock to Denver for pot tourism
Author: Marcelino Benito
Contact: Contact Us | khou
Photo Credit: Chris Jose
Website: KHOU | Houston Breaking News, Weather, Traffic, Sports - KHOU.com
"It's kind of like an oil rush, but a green rush," said one Texas traveler, who didn't want to give her name.
Texans are flocking to Denver for more than just a thrill on the ski slopes. The lure is a true Rocky Mountain high, courtesy of Colorado's high-flying legal marijuana industry.
"I came to Denver to smoke, and I've smoked," said Girard. "I've had a great time."
One year since Colorado legalized recreational pot, the craving hasn't faded. We hopped on board the Canni-bus to see for ourselves.
"We get a lot of very interesting customers," said Danny Schaefer, Chief Operating Officer of my My420Tours.
Every Saturday he packs this black limo with out of state visitors. And Texans lead the way looking for an experience that could get them busted back home.
"Colorado already has a booming tourist economy," said Schaefer. "We're just sprinkling cannabis on it."
The bus criss-crosses downtown Denver. On the ride, parents puff with potheads, mechanical engineers smoke with high school dropouts. It's a cross section of America side by side, smoking all the weed they want. It's 100 percent legal.
"It's bridging the social gap unlike anything I've ever seen before," said Schaefer. "You could be sitting next to a businessman from Tokyo right next to a guy from Austin, Texas."
The tours stop at grow sites where curious Texans get an up close look at all the green. There's so much marijuana growing in Denver, it's tough to find vacant warehouse space.
"The weed is amazing," said Girard.
For Texans used to smoking discreetly, this very public getaway is well worth the $99 price tag.
"Tourism is going up. I flew up here," said Girard. "I'm spending money on these attractions, spending money on food."
Just outside downtown Denver, you'll find a cozy little hotel where check-in is at 4. Happy hour is at 4:20.
"We're pioneers," said Joel Schneider, owner of the Bud and Breakfast.
Schneider is a former lawyer. His wife Lisa is an ex-PTA president. The couple moved here from New York to open the Adagio Bed and Breakfast. It's now known in Denver as the Bud and Breakfast.
It may look like any other bed and breakfast, but if you take a closer look, this one's a little different. Texans are taking note and flocking here to light up.
"We've had professors, lawyers, doctors," said Schneider. "It's the ability to sit with people and enjoy this beautiful product called marijuana."
On this winter weekend, four of their six rooms were all booked by Texans.
"It's a weed-cation," said Sue.
We met Bill and Sue at the Bud And Breakfast. They asked us not to use their real names. They're a young successful couple who regularly smoke weed. Both are employed as managers back home.
"There's nothing like a place where you don't feel like a criminal," said Bill.
"It's very weird to walk into a house where they say, 'Oh wait, here's our cannabis bar,'" said Sue. "That would never happen in Texas."
They're here celebrating Bill's birthday weekend with a little weed and relaxation.
"It's legal here," said Sue. "So why not go to a dispensary and maybe try it."
But these getaways do carry some risk. Even when the marijuana is legal, you can still flunk a company drug test for smoking pot and get fired. And it's very illegal to stash Colorado weed into your bags and fly home with it, though some Texans clearly do.
"It's all hush hush," said Bill. "Very few people know that we smoke and that's intentional."
Those worries haven't slowed travelers. Since the law changed, tourists have made pit stops at Colorado's more than 300 recreational dispensaries. They're out in the open in plain sight. Places like Starbuds see some of the most tourists.
"We get tons of calls from the airport," said Brett Ahroon, manager at Starbuds Dispensary. "People want to know how far we are from the airport."
Out of towners can buy a quarter of an ounce of weed per day.
"Texans actually know their weed pretty well," said Ian Williams, a budtender at Colorado Harvest Company.
Tourists are not shy about spending their money. Twenty-five percent of sales at Colorado Harvest Company are to tourists. They buy everything from joints to edibles, patches, even oils. Out of town visitors bought 8.2 tons of recreational pot last year alone.
It's a constantly evolving industry that's already brought in more than $295 million in sales. One year in, Texans from all walks of life have proven they have an appetite for the green stuff.
"Colorado is full of pothead Republicans, and it's true," said Ahroon. "From what I've seen here, so is Texas."
And they hope it will keep them coming back long after the high is over.
News Moderator: Jacob Redmond 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Rocky Mountain High: Texans flock to Denver for pot tourism
Author: Marcelino Benito
Contact: Contact Us | khou
Photo Credit: Chris Jose
Website: KHOU | Houston Breaking News, Weather, Traffic, Sports - KHOU.com
