Colorado Town Moffat May Be Renamed Kush in Honor of Cannabis
The small American town of Moffat, located in Colorado and home to just 120 residents, may soon be renamed Kush in honor of marijuana, which is often referred to as “kush” in slang.
Moffat’s Budget Hits the Jackpot Thanks to Cannabis
The initiative was proposed by Mike Biggio, who five years ago founded the industrial park “Area 420” in Moffat, covering 420 acres (170 hectares). Today, the industrial park is home to 70 marijuana farms, laboratories, research facilities, and processing plants that produce both recreational and medicinal cannabinoid products.
Area 420 has become a true Eldorado for the cannabis industry for several reasons. First, a business license in the park costs only $75. Second, cannabis businesses benefit from a preferential tax rate. Third, Colorado’s climate is ideal for growing cannabis, with more than 320 sunny days per year.
Renaming Moffat to Kush to Celebrate Economic Boom
Biggio suggests renaming Moffat to Kush to immortalize the economic boom brought about by the cannabis rush. Last year, the cannabis industry contributed $400,000 to the municipal budget. That’s about $3,333 per resident. Thanks to tax revenue from marijuana, Moffat’s treasury has become one of the wealthiest in the world on a per capita basis.
Not Everyone Supports the “Cannabization” of the Town
Mike presented his proposal on June 7 during an informal meeting of the Board of Trustees. To persuade officials, he cited examples of other Colorado towns that have changed their names. For instance, Columbia was renamed Telluride because it was often confused with a city of the same name in California. Moffat faces a similar issue, as there is also a Moffat County in northeastern Colorado.
The town’s mayor, Cassandra Fox, supported Biggio and expressed her willingness to vote in favor of renaming Moffat to Kush. She noted that before Area 420 opened, the municipal budget was barely making ends meet, but after the cannabis industry launched, the town enjoyed a huge surplus. However, not everyone liked Mike’s idea. One trustee, Ken Skoglund, reacted sharply against the initiative and said “no” to renaming Moffat.