As marijuana goes mainstream in Colorado, the tourism office and the regional snow sports industry are steering clear of actively promoting ‘pot tourism’ in the state.
On New Year’s Day the world’s first state-licensed marijuana stores opened for business with an estimated $1 million in pot sales spent on the first day.
Colorado became the first state legally authorized to sell marijuana for recreational use which has already attracted a burgeoning ‘pot tourism’ industry.
Matt Brown, co-founder of local firm My 420 Tours, said his company had over 4,000 people on a waiting list for upcoming cannabis tours, mostly non Colorado residents.
However the Colorado Tourism Office said in a statement that: "It has no plans to use the legalization of marijuana to promote the state. It is impossible to forecast how the law may impact tourism, which generated an estimated $16.7 billion in direct travel spending in 2012".
Likewise, the state’s world-class ski resorts are distancing themselves from promoting pot outright.
Jennifer Rudolph, spokeswoman for ski industry association, Colorado Ski Country USA said: "There has been a law on the books since the 1970s in Colorado making it illegal to ski, snowboard or even get on a ski lift under the influence."
Denver police and the Colorado State Patrol said that the first day of legalized cannabis sales in the state ran smoothly without major incident.
