Hand Painted Tumblers

Painting glassware can add flare and creativity to boring cups lying around the
house. Why drink out of plain, clear glasses when you can paint your own tumblers with
beautiful colors and designs for around $3 each? A tumbler is a flat bottom drinking
glass that is typically used for serving cocktails and wine. Hand painted tumblers are
great to use at any time- simple enough to be used every day, but sophisticated enough
to be used for more formal occasions as well.
Materials
Glass tumblers
Enamel or All-Surface acrylic paint in 3-5 different colors
Paper plate
Cotton swabs
Sheet pan
Parchment paper
Directions
1. Gather the materials needed. Tumblers can be found at the Dollar Store and
acrylic paint can be found at a local craft store.



PROJECT 1
2. Squeeze a quarter-sized portion of each color paint onto a paper plate. Feel free
to mix colors for different shades.



3. Dip a cotton swab in one color of paint and dot around the base and about up
the sides of your glass.



Let dry for about 10 minutes.

4. Using a different color, again dot your cotton swab around the base and sides of
the tumbler and let dry.


Repeat this step with various colors to achieve a simple colorful design

5. Let the tumblers dry completely for about an hour.
6. Place a sheet of parchment paper on a pan and put your tumblers so they are
right-side-up. Place your pan in a COLD (non-preheated) oven and bake for 30
minutes at 350.



7. Turn the oven off and let the tumbler cool off in the oven for an hour.

8. The paint should be completely dry within 3 hours. Once dry to the touch, your
tumbler is ready to use!


Tips & Warnings

Paint can stain furniture and clothing. To avoid this, use newspaper or
parchment paper under the glass and wear an old shirt when painting.
If you take the glasses out of the oven before letting them cool, you are
putting yourself and others at risk of being burned.
For the best and longest lasting results, hand wash and air dry when
cleaning.


These beautiful glasses are great for use at home or to be given as a gift to someone
special. Break open a bottle of pinot and ditch the plastic cup for a simple, yet
sophisticated hand painted tumbler!

Apryl Carnahan
ENGL 219-025

























Legalizing Marijuana: The Economic Impact
How would New Mexicos economy be affected?
















By Apryl Carnahan
ENGL 219-025


PROJECT 2

Introduction
Colorado and Washington have legalized recreational marijuana; many believe that more
states should do so also. Marijuana--also known as pot, weed, herb, grass, and Mary Jane--is a
preparation from the cannabis plant for medical and recreational use. New Mexico has legalized
marijuana for medical use, but has yet to do so for recreational use. With one of the worst
economies in the country--ranked 48th--should New Mexico consider the legalization of
recreational marijuana? (KOAT) In my report, I will discuss my methodology, results, and
recommendations on how legalizing marijuana would affect the states economy.

Methodology
In order to determine how New Mexicos economy would be affected, I first created a
research question: how would the legalization of marijuana affect New Mexicos economy? But
before getting specific, I researched the affect marijuana legalization would have on the United
States economy as a whole. I focused primarily on how Colorado has been affected by their
recent legalization and how similar factors would affect New Mexico.

When conducting my research I tried to use the most academic sources possible. I
focused on credible sources and organizations based on marijuana legalization. The sources
include facts from the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML), the
Federal Bureau of Investigation, Colorado State University, and the Colorado legislator website.
I found many facts on how marijuana legalization affects the economy of the U.S., how its
predicted to affect the economy in the future, and how it has already affected Colorado.

Results
Legal marijuana is one of the
most recent industries, but among the
fastest-growing markets in the
United States. (Schwartz). Medical
marijuana is currently legal in
twenty states and the District of
Columbia. Two states have
also legalized recreational
marijuana- New Mexicos
neighboring state of Colorado, and
Washington. The nations attitude
towards marijuana has changed in the
most recent years. According to a
Gallup poll, 58 percent of
Americans believe marijuana should be made legal. However, in 1969, only twelve percent
supported legalization (Swift). Within the next five years, fourteen states are predicted to legalize
marijuana. Professionals are beginning to notice the marijuana industry and young adults are
starting to take over the majority vote, leading to a higher number of people supporting the
legalization (Schwartz).

On January 1, 2014 Colorado began its sales of recreational marijuana. Colorado has
imposed a 15 percent excise tax and a sales tax of 10 percent on retail sales of marijuana.
Although medical patients do not need to pay the same taxes, recreational sales have skyrocketed
through the first two months of sales in Colorado. Exact totals wont be made available until
March 2014, but it is known that marijuana sales exceeded $5 million during the first week.
(Ferner) A study done by Colorado State University found that Colorado will make about $130.1
million from taxes and $605.7 million in annual sales. (Brown & Resnick) Toni Fox, a Denver
marijuana shop owner, predicted that her monthly income would increase to about $250,000
compared to only $30,000 before legalization (Vekshin).

In addition to sales and taxes, legalizing marijuana can bring revenue to states in other
ways. Law enforcement savings are predicted to save the country $6-$9 billion each year, with
the hemp industry bringing in an approximated $6-$10 billion (Gieringer). Not only these
factors, but the sales of marijuana paraphernalia, such as bongs, pipes, and rolling papers, and
marijuana edibles are predicted to increase as well.

While Colorado is busy making millions, would New Mexico see the same numbers with
the legalization of marijuana? All signs point to yes. Over 500 economists have endorsed
marijuana legalization due to the economic benefits. One benefit includes lower prices for
marijuana. A RAND Drug Policy Research Center study found that legalizing marijuana would
likely result in cheaper prices. The average price for an ounce of marijuana in the U.S. is $375,
but legalization could reduce the price greatly- to about $38. Colorado has already seen a drop in
prices, where the average price of an ounce is about $150 (CBS News). Making marijuana more
affordable will lead to more people experimenting and using it for daily medicinal or recreational
use (Ford). Another widespread benefit is the enforcement savings. In 2011, about 800,000
people were in jail for marijuana related charges. If marijuana was legalized that would be a lot
of empty jail cells and as stated before, an estimated $6-$9 billion in savings each year (Federal
Bureau of Investigation). The most obvious benefit to the economy that marijuana legalization
offers is job creation. Jobs sustained by marijuana include physicians and physicians assistants,
growers, dispensary owners and operators, and budtenders, who are experts on marijuana
strains and help recommend specific strains for specific problems (Cox).







Discussion
Research shows that the legalization of marijuana would likely have a positive affect on
the New Mexico economy. With Colorado as an example, its safe to say that anywhere could
make money from legal marijuana with the right taxations.

New Mexico should consider legalizing recreational marijuana. Sales from medical
marijuana generated $750,000 in tax revenue in 2013 (Stockberger). Legalizing recreational use
would only add to the revenue New Mexico already receives from medical sales. With the right
taxations, New Mexico could be making as much revenue as Colorado is. To do this, taxes
would need to be collected up front. This is important because when taxes arent collected up
front, businesses are at risk of losing money, which puts the state at risk of losing their tax
money. Taxing marijuana by weight opposed to percentage of price is also important. Although
setting up scales and weighing each marijuana sale takes time, it will save more money than
taxing a municipal price (Oglesby). New Mexico should also follow Colorados lead and impose
a higher tax on recreational sales of marijuana. New Mexico is a smaller state than Colorado, so
to see similar amounts of revenue, there needs to be a higher tax percentage. Colorados sales tax
is currently 12.9 percent so if New Mexico wants to benefit from this they should tax at least 15
percent. Taxing the right way can be very beneficial to a economy. With a tax system using these
features, New Mexico could generate similar numbers as Colorado has.

Its hard to argue with over 500 economists who believe legal marijuana would be
beneficial to an economy. With marijuana sales predicted to generate millions of dollars, create
thousands of jobs, and save the country billions, New Mexico would be smart to consider
legalizing marijuana.





References

Brown, Charles; Resnick, Phyllis. "The Fiscal Impact of Amendment 64 on State Revenues." 24
Apr. 2013. Colorado State. 27 Feb. 2014.

CBS News. "Study: Marijuana Prices to Crater If Legalized." 8 July 2010. CBS News. 27 Feb.
2014

Colorado. "Fiscal Impact Statement." 24 Sept. 2013. Colorado Legislator. 27 Feb. 2014.

Cox, Ted. "14 Kinds of Jobs Sustained By Marijuana." 21 Sept. 2011. Alternet. 28 Feb. 2014

Federal Bureau of Investigation. "FBI- Persons Arrested." 09 Aug. 2012. FBI. 28 Feb. 2014

Ferner, Matt. "Colorado Recreational Marijuana Sales Exceed $5 Million In First Week." 08 Jan.
2014. The Huffington Post. 27 Feb. 2014

Ford, John. "5 Ways Marijuana Would Boost Our Economy." 17 Jan. 2013. PolicyMic. 28 Feb.
2014

Gieringer, Dale. "CA NORML Costs of Prohibition." Oct. 1994. NORML. 27 Feb. 2014

KOAT. "Report: New Mexico's Economy Is One of the Worst in the United States." KOAT.com.
N.p., 20 Jan. 2014. Web. 27 Feb. 2014.

Oglesby, Pat. "How Not to Tax Marijuana." The Huffington Post. N.p., 07 Feb. 2014. Web. 27
Feb. 2014.

Schwartz, Carly. "Marijuana Market Poised To Grow Faster Than Smartphones." The
Huffington Post. N.p., 04 Nov. 2013. Web. 27 Feb. 2014.

Stockberger, Brook. "Would pot legalization be good for the New Mexico economy?"LCSN. 19
Jan. 2014. 27 Feb. 2014

Swift, Art. "For First Time, Americans Favor Legalizing Marijuana." 22 Oct. 2013. Gallup. 27
Feb. 2014

Vekshin, Alison. "Pot Shops in Denver Open Door to $578 Million in Sales." 30 Dec. 2013.
Bloomberg. 27 Feb. 2014
































Solution
This proposal is presented to New Mexico State Representatives by the Marijuana
Reform Party to reform New Mexicos marijuana laws. By proposing a new plan for the
marijuana laws of New Mexico, we are hoping to boost the economy, keep those charged
with petty marijuana crimes out of jail, and even bring about safer roads. The state of New
Mexico should consider these benefits as part of a solution to its dwindling economy and
DUI infested roads. Following the examples set by Colorado and Washington, we can
regulate the use of recreational marijuana.

Validation of Necessity
Marijuana can be used
for medicinal and recreational
use. Marijuana can slow down
the progression of HIV and
cancer cells throughout the
body, it slows the progression
of Alzheimers, serves as a
pain reliever, combats
depression and ADHD, can aid
with neurological disorders (concussions, strokes), leads to lower insulin levels in patients
with diabetes, and prevents blindness in glaucoma. There are many health benefits that can
be gained from the use of marijuana, but not everyone who needs marijuana treatment can
PROJECT 3
afford a medical card or get the necessary medical documents to permit their use. However,
permitting the use of recreational marijuana does not require any special license or additional
information. Regulating marijuana as if it was alcohol can provide many people with healthy
alternatives to harsh medications and can also be used as a safer alternative to alcohol when
used recreationally. New Mexico is notorious for its amount of DUIs, and permitting the use
isnt going to decrease these numbers, but could unexpectedly lead to safer roads. Legalizing
recreational marijuana doesnt mean that everyones going to be driving around high, but by
encouraging the substitution of marijuana for alcohol it could actually make the roads safer,
reducing traffic fatalities. (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 1993)
Legalizing recreational use of marijuana could also help boost New Mexicos economy. A
study done by Colorado State University found that Colorado would make about $130.1
million from taxes and $605.7 million in annual sales. (Brown & Resnick) Toni Fox, a
Denver marijuana shop owner, predicted that her monthly income would increase to about
$250,000 compared to only $30,000 before legalization. (Vekshin)

Goals
Our goals are as follow:
Make recreational marijuana legal
o Allow adults 21 and over to posses and use marijuana
Tax recreational marijuana with a 12.9 percent sales tax
o Sales and excise taxes would produce an estimated $98 million
Reduce the number of traffic fatalities caused by DUI
o On average, 22 people are killed each year in DUI-related crashes in NM

Plan of Action
We are proposing that the state of New Mexico create an amendment making it legal
to posses and use recreational marijuana. Once an amendment has been created, put it to a
vote at the next election in fall 2014. If passed, this law would make it legal for adults 21 and
over to use and posses an ounce of marijuana.
After the law is passed, allow marijuana dispensaries around the state of New Mexico
to apply to sell recreationally. If a dispensary meets all of the city or countys requirements,
then they will be able to receive their recreational sales license and government approvals.
On January 1, 2016 New Mexicos law legalizing sales of recreational marijuana to
those older than 21 will go into effect. The state is predicted to benefit by about $98 million
from the 12.9 percent sales tax imposed on all recreational sales.
DUIs from alcohol would decrease, as marijuana has been presented as a safer
alternative to alcohol. A report from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
concluded: The impairment [from marijuana] manifests itself mainly in the ability to
maintain a lateral position on the road, but its magnitude is not exceptional in comparison
with changes produced by many medicinal drugs and alcohol. Drivers under the influence of
marijuana retain insight in their performance and will compensate when they can, for
example, by slowing down or increasing effort. As a consequence, THCs adverse effects on
driving performance appear relatively small.

Conclusion
The purpose of this proposal was to give insight to State Representatives on the ways
legalizing recreational marijuana could benefit New Mexico. We hope that through our
examples on how it could affect the economy and the safety of the roads that we could open
your mind to the possibilities presented by the legalization of recreational marijuana. With
the increased revenue that the state would receive from sales tax of marijuana, New Mexico
could campaign to fix roads, build a new highway, fund substance abuse programs, fund
educational programs, etc. Legalizing recreational marijuana wont only make stoners happy,
it will make New Mexico happy too.











Brown, Charles; Resnick, Phyllis. "The Fiscal Impact of Amendment 64 on State
Revenues." 24 Apr. 2013. Colorado State. 8 Apr. 2014.

O'Hanlon; Robbe. "Cannabis (Marijuana) & Driving Impairment Executive Summary." Erowid,
Nov. 1993. Web. 7 Apr 2014.

Vekshin, Alison. "Pot Shops in Denver Open Door to $578 Million in Sales." 30 Dec.
2013. Bloomberg. 7 Apr. 2014