What if People Did Come to New Jersey to Get High? [POLL]

Once again, Governor Christie made headlines on New Jersey 101.5’s Ask The Governor.  When Christie was responding to a caller about legalizing marijuana in New Jersey, he spoke about Colorado.  

He claimed that Colorado has: “Headshops popping up on every corner, and people flying in just to get high.” The Governor also added: "...to me it’s just not the quality of life we want to have here in the state of New Jersey and there’s no tax revenue worth that.”

Or is there? What would be the problem with high, happy, hungry people flocking to New Jersey to take advantage of legalized marijuana?

Andy Kaufman, (not THAT one), whom I worked with for 5 years at Great Adventure in the 70's, moved from Hazlet to Colorado. He says 'Headshops popping up on every corner' is an exaggeration, and it has nothing to do with the quality of life in the state.

Are “people flying in just to get high?" Kaufman says: “Yes people come to get high, well people come to New Jersey to gamble.

Coloradians have taken exception to Christie’s portrayal of the state, from Governor John Hickenlooper on down. Kaufman says: “I have to say I like living here better, We have 300 days of sunshine a year so I can ski in the morning and play baseball in the afternoon. Drivers wave you into traffic so there’s no scum weaseling. Cost of living is ridiculously cheaper. I have a 6 bedroom house which would cost about 750K in New Jersey but it only cost about half that here."

When I asked him asked how he felt about the tourist revenue that marijuana is bringing in, Kaufman said: “Legal weed is awesome, because every buzz buys books, that is tax revenues go to building new schools. Anything that brings in tourist money is a good thing. They are even opening some bud and breakfasts”

But despite his new healthier Rocky Mountain lifestyle, Kaufman adds: "I miss the ocean terribly though, and I come home to New Jersey a couple of times every year just to hang out on the beach or walk in the shallow ocean tasting the salt in the air."

What would be so bad if legally getting high was among the many things people came to New Jersey for? Would you have a problem if tourists came to New Jersey just to legally get high?