There's an excellent overview of Colorado's system in this Fresh Air interview: http://www.npr.org/2012/11/13/164981433/legalizing-and-regulating-pot-a-growth-i

There's an excellent overview of Colorado's system in this Fresh Air interview: http://www.npr.org/2012/11/13/164981433/legalizing-and-regulating-pot-a-growth-industry http://www.npr.org/2012/11/13/164981433/legalizing-and-regul... Colorado has the most strictly regulated system anywhere, including the ability to trace all retail sales back to the plant they were grown on, 24 hour video surveillance of all legal growers, and background checks that should eliminate most of the criminal element in the trade (which is a huge problem in California).