VOA常速英语2014--Legal Marijuana in Colorado Good for Business, Worrisome for Public Health 科罗拉多州大麻合法化有利商业不利公共健康

 

Legal Marijuana in Colorado Good for Business, Worrisome for Public Health 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 illicit¹ trade of the drug, a legitimate² 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, busted³ 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 licensed⁴ 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。

Authorized⁵ marijuana dispensaries that before legalization could only cater⁶ 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 intoxicating⁷ and addictive⁹ drug far outweighs¹⁰ 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 addict⁸ and Denver resident, said, "For me the danger of marijuana was that it took away my motivation. I think it isolated¹¹ 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 psychiatry¹² 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。

1 illicit   

adj.非法的，禁止的，不正当的

参考例句：

• He had an illicit association with Jane.他和简曾有过不正当关系。
• Seizures of illicit drugs have increased by 30% this year.今年违禁药品的扣押增长了30%。

2 legitimate   

adj.合法的，合理的，合乎逻辑的；v.使合法

参考例句：

• Sickness is a legitimate reason for asking for leave.生病是请假的一个正当的理由。
• That's a perfectly legitimate fear.怀有这种恐惧完全在情理之中。

3 busted   

adj. 破产了的，失败了的，被降级的，被逮捕的，被抓到的 动词bust的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• You are so busted! 你被当场逮住了！
• It was money troubles that busted up their marriage. 是金钱纠纷使他们的婚姻破裂了。

4 licensed   

adj.得到许可的v.许可，颁发执照(license的过去式和过去分词)

参考例句：

• The new drug has not yet been licensed in the US. 这种新药尚未在美国获得许可。
• Is that gun licensed? 那支枪有持枪执照吗？

5 authorized   

a.委任的，许可的

参考例句：

• An administrative order is valid if authorized by a statute.如果一个行政命令得到一个法规的认可那么这个命令就是有效的。

6 cater   

vi.(for/to)满足，迎合；(for)提供饮食及服务

参考例句：

• I expect he will be able to cater for your particular needs.我预计他能满足你的特殊需要。
• Most schools cater for children of different abilities.大多数学校能够满足具有不同天资的儿童的需要。

7 intoxicating   

a. 醉人的,使人兴奋的

参考例句：

• Power can be intoxicating. 权力能让人得意忘形。
• On summer evenings the flowers gave forth an almost intoxicating scent. 夏日的傍晚，鲜花散发出醉人的芳香。

8 addict   

v.使沉溺；使上瘾；n.沉溺于不良嗜好的人

参考例句：

• He became gambling addict,and lost all his possessions.他习染上了赌博，最终输掉了全部家产。
• He assisted a drug addict to escape from drug but failed firstly.一开始他帮助一个吸毒者戒毒但失败了。

9 addictive   

adj.(吸毒等)使成瘾的，成为习惯的

参考例句：

• The problem with video game is that they're addictive.电子游戏机的问题在于它们会使人上瘾。
• Cigarettes are highly addictive.香烟很容易使人上瘾。

10 outweighs   

v.在重量上超过( outweigh的第三人称单数 )；在重要性或价值方面超过

参考例句：

• Her need to save money outweighs her desire to spend it on fun. 她省钱的需要比她花钱娱乐的愿望更重要。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Its clarity in algebraic and analytical operations far outweighs any drawbacks. 文化代数和解析运算中的清晰性远远胜过任何缺点。 来自辞典例句

11 isolated   

adj.与世隔绝的

参考例句：

• His bad behaviour was just an isolated incident. 他的不良行为只是个别事件。
• Patients with the disease should be isolated. 这种病的患者应予以隔离。

12 psychiatry   

n.精神病学，精神病疗法

参考例句：

• The study appeared in the Amercian science Journal of Psychiatry.这个研究发表在美国精神病学的杂志上。
• A physician is someone who specializes in psychiatry.精神病专家是专门从事精神病治疗的人。