34 OCTOBER 19-25, 2023 westword.com WESTWORD | REAL ESTATE | RENTALS | HEALTH WELLNESS | SERVICES | EMPLOYMENT | ADULT | MUSIC | CLASSIFIED | A S K A S T O N E R BY HERBERT FUEGO Dear Stoner: I’m still waiting on my check of TABOR money, but it won’t come close to what I may have contributed at LivWell’s cash register. Are cannabis taxes subject to TABOR, at least, so I can get some of that money back? Aunt May Dear Aunt May: The Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights (TABOR) is an amendment to the Colorado Constitution, not a federal law, that requires voter approval for state tax increases and also for budget surpluses to be given back to Colorado taxpayers. But if you haven’t heard yet, we won’t be receiving TABOR checks in the mail this year as we did in 2022. Instead, those refunds will be added to next year’s tax returns, with the amount depending on a fi ler’s annual income. Since cannabis is very much taxed at the state level — 15 percent on both retail and excise transactions — a portion of our dis- pensary purchases within the $2.53 billion of cannabis taxes and fees collected since 2014 have contributed to the state budget, which is subject to TABOR when Colorado collects more tax revenue than anticipated. Given that Colorado is expected to dole out more than $3.5 billion in TABOR refunds next spring alone, your return rate isn’t very high...but, yes, you may have received a penny or two back on your dispensary purchases over the past nine years. Don’t spend it too quickly. Dear Stoner: I’ve eaten edibles from dispensa- ries a few times and feel literally nothing. I’ve had weed brownies made by a friend. Same thing. Am I just immune to eating THC? I smoke weed occasionally and always get high. Iron Gullet Dear Iron Gullet: Smell my bedroom on a Saturday morning and I will no longer be at the top of your list for digestive advice. If you plan to try edibles again, please seek advice from a different kind of professional fi rst. But when you do, consider bringing up stomach enzymes. According to a Boston Globe article that dove into the cannabis research at McLean Hospital in Massachusetts, some people have a rare subtype of liver enzyme that metabo- lizes THC too quickly for an edibles high. This could have a serious impact on legal cases and future cannabis intoxication enforcement, which isn’t an exact science to begin with. It also sounds like a giant buzzkill. Let’s hope you just got unlucky, but I suggest you ask a doctor or scientist before snarfi ng more THC. Send questions to [email protected]. WARNING: Use of Marijuana Concentrate may lead to: 1. Psychotic symptoms and/or Psychotic disorder (delusions, hallucinations, or difficulty distinguishing reality); 2. Mental Health Symptoms/Problems; 3. Cannabis Hyperemesis Syndrome (CHS) (uncontrolled and repetitive vomiting); Cannabis use disorder / dependence, including physical and psychological dependence Programmatic Cannabis Network Organic & Local SEO • Website Design Social Media Management • Print Media Get started today with a FREE Digital Audit. marijuanamarketingxperts.com
