Q&A: Details on Colorado amendment that legalizes marijuana

Colorado pot particulars

Marijuana is now legal in Colorado. Where can you buy it, and are there limitations on where you can smoke it?

Colorado's Amendment 64, which was passed in November with more than 55 percent of the vote, allows people 21 and older to use marijuana, to possess up to 1 ounce of marijuana and to grow up to six marijuana plants. Legal marijuana can be sold only through licensed pot shops, and no registration or licenses are required to possess it.

It's still illegal to smoke in many places, including public schools, college campuses, privately owned buildings — including apartment complexes — where the owner forbids it, federal office buildings, courthouses, public parks, sidewalks, national parks and forests.

Amendment 64 applies to anyone in the state. Colorado has until July 1 to adopt regulations for marijuana businesses and until Oct. 1 to begin licensing them, according to published reports.

A hardship for lottery winners?

I read on the lottery's website that any prize over $250,000 must be collected at the main office in Tallahassee. Why do they do this? It seems that would be a hardship on anyone who can't travel, especially if they live at the other end of the state.

We asked the Florida Lottery for a reply. Public affairs specialist Amy Bisceglia answers:

"Very few games offer prizes at a level greater than $250,000 and less than $1,000,000. In fact, there are only three scratch-off games, out of 65 currently on sale, that offer a prize within that range. The terminal games that typically offer jackpot prizes in excess of $250,000 are Powerball, Florida Lotto and Mega Money.

"The jackpot prizes in those terminal games, and prizes of $1,000,000 and more in scratch-off games, offer a choice of payment methodology that requires the Lottery to obtain cash option quotes from the State Board of Administration and prepare additional claim documentation for a winner. Additional security checks are also performed on tickets winning prizes in excess of $250,000. For these reasons, a cap of $250,000 was determined to be appropriate for payment at district offices."

Contacting an author

I am trying to find out how to get in touch with Karen Handel to get a copy of her new book signed for my wife. Do you have any contact information on her?

Handel can be emailed at Karen@planned bullyhood.com or by filling out a contact form at plannedbullyhood.com/contact, the website for her book, Planned Bullyhood: The Truth Behind the Headlines About the Planned Parenthood Funding Battle With Susan G. Komen for the Cure, which hit shelves in September. There's also a Facebook page, facebook.com/plannedbullyhood, that has information about Handel's appearances and book signings.