Colorado is fast becoming the place to be for America’s potheads, with more than five million dollars worth of weed sold last week.<br /><br />Since sales of recreational marijuana began on January 1, traffic has been booming at the state’s 50 or so cannabis shops that are currently operating.<br /><br />But as dope remains banned by federal law, many pot shops can’t officially get bank accounts to deal with huge amounts of cash, a problem insiders expect will soon have to change.<br /><br />Attorney Jessica Peck, co-founder of the Women’s Marijuana Movement said: “We’ve seen just recently that the federal government, through the Obama administration, has given what the Denver Post referred to as a ‘yellow light’ – meaning, look, we’re going to open the door to some sort of legitimized banking, but don’t abuse it. Let’s work on this together.”<br /><br />A handful of stores have even reported running out of stock, which is available to anyone aged 21 or over.<br /><br />The Women’s Marijuana movement says it expects 1 in 4 residents in Colorado will be using the drug over the next year.<br /><br />Meanwhile some medical officials say the easy access to the drug in Colorado poses health risks, especially to young people.<br /><br />Christian Thurstone, medical director of the adolescent substance abuse program at Denver Health, says adolescent exposure to marijuana can significantly change brain development.
