Rocky Mountain high can still have consequences, despite relaxed Colo. drug law

摘要

VAIL, Colo. -- Gondolas at this popular ski resort whisk visitors to elevations of more than 10,000 feet, but a simple red sign at the top of the mountain reminds visitors it's against the law to get any higher: Marijuana remains illegal on U.S. Forest Service lands. Voters in Colorado legalized recreational marijuana use via a 2012 ballot initiative -- and gained national attention again when retail stores opened their doors here earlier this month. But the drug remains illegal under federal law on all public lands, a wide swath of territory in the Centennial State. That division creates a unique scenario at the state's numerous ski resorts, which operate their businesses via contracts on U.S. Forest Service lands.