VOA双语新闻：7、科罗拉多州大麻合法化有利商业不利公共健康（在线收听）

科罗拉多州大麻合法化有利商业不利公共健康

In Colorado, the marijuana business has been booming since January, when the state legalized the sale and recreational use of the drug, despite public health concerns raised by opponents. The legal cannabis industry is expected to generate $500 million in sales and $67 million in taxes each year in Colorado. It already is creating new opportunities for entrepreneurs.

在科罗拉多州，自今年一月以来，经营大麻生意兴隆。该州于今年一月允许合法销售供休闲用的大麻，尽管反对人士提出了大麻使用对公共卫生的影响。合法经营大麻生意的企业预期将获得5亿美元的销售额以及每年给科罗拉多州政府带来6千7百万美元的税收。大麻合法化已经给商家创造了新的机会。

Marijuana's legalization in Colorado has made Mike Paulk, who had been involved for years in the illicit trade of the drug, a legitimate businessman.

科罗拉多州大麻合法化已经使迈克?鲍尔克成为一个合法的商人。他在过去一直从事非法大麻交易。

“Yeah, it made me stoked because I went to prison for cultivating weed," he said. "It was in 2000. I got caught, busted and now I am free to do it without fear. And it feeds me and clothes me and takes care of me.”

鲍尔克说： “这令我感到兴奋，因为我曾经因为种植大麻被捕入狱。那是2000年的事。我被侦获，被逮捕，现在我可以毫不担心地、自由自在的去做了。种植大麻提供我生活所需，提供我的衣物，让我生活有着落。”

While Paulk is not licensed to sell marijuana, he is permitted to grow it for personal use and he skirts state regulations by giving it away to customers who purchase pipes. And the pipe business is thriving, he said.

鲍尔克还没有拿到销售大麻执照的时候，他被允许种植个人使用的大麻，他规避该州的法律，在人们向他购买烟斗的时候，就将他种植的大麻免费赠送给顾客。他说，目前烟斗生意红火。

Authorized marijuana dispensaries that before legalization could only cater to medical marijuana patients also have seen a major boost in sales.

获得授权的大麻药房在大麻合法化之前，只能将大麻售予要用大麻的病人。这些药房现在销售额在大幅提高。

Elan Nelson with Medicine Man Denver, the largest marijuana dispensary in Colorado, said the company has been growing more plants and hiring more workers to keep up with rising demand.

科罗拉多州规模最大的大麻药房MEDICINE MAN DEVER 的依兰?尼尔逊说，他的公司种了更多大麻，雇了更多工人来满足供应。

“Our best day when we were just a medical marijuana dispensary is now our normal day, now that we are medical and recreational,” he said.

尼尔逊说： “我们仅仅是一个要用大麻的药房的时候是我们最好的时光。而现在就是我们正常营业的一天，现在我们出售药用和休闲用途的大麻。”

Business also is booming for Elyse Gordon and Deloise Vaden, owners of a bakery that sells cookies, pies and candy infused with marijuana for customers who want to get high without smoking.

对艾利斯?戈登和德罗斯?瓦登来说生意也欣欣向荣。他们是一家糕饼店的店主。他们向顾客出售含大麻成分的饼干、馅饼和糖果。这些顾客想要在不吸烟的情况下过把瘾。

“We can produce approximately 1,000 pieces every seven to 10 days. And we pushed ourselves this last time and ended up with 2,000 pieces because of the demand,” Vaden said.

瓦登说：“我们每7至10天的周期能生产大约1000块糕饼。由于需求增加，我们赶工增加产量，上一个周期我们生产了2000块糕饼。

Critics say the danger of this intoxicating and addictive drug far outweighs any economic benefit legalization might bring.

批评者说大麻令人精神恍惚，而且上瘾。它的危害远远超过大麻合法化带来的经济效益。里德?斯伯丁是正在戒毒的瘾君子。

Reed Spalding, a recovering drug addict and Denver resident, said, "For me the danger of marijuana was that it took away my motivation. I think it isolated me."

丹佛居民里德?斯伯丁说： “对我来说，大麻的危险在于它使我丧失生活的动力。我觉得大麻令我与世隔绝。”

And Dr. Paula Riggs, a professor of psychiatry at the University of Colorado, warns marijuana can cause permanent damage to young people.

科罗拉多大学心理学教授宝拉?瑞格斯警告说，大麻可能对年轻人造成永久性的损害。

“In adolescents that regularly use marijuana, that has been associated with a decline of six to eight points in their adult I.Q. Doesn't look like you get that back. That's a very significant public health concern,” she said.

瑞格斯警告说：“凡是在青少年时期定期吸食大麻者，他们的成年智商指数会降低6到8点。而降低之后就再也无法回升，这是一个非常显著的公共健康问题。

State officials say increased tax revenue from marijuana sales will allow them to properly regulate the industry as they do now with alcohol and tobacco, and also to fund public education and treatment programs.

科罗拉多州州政府的官员说，因大麻销售而增加的税收可以容许我们适当的规范这个行业，就如同我们规范烟酒业一样，向公共教育和治疗计划提供资金。