Pubdate: Fri, 20 Nov 2009
Source: Grand Junction Free Press (CO)
Copyright: 2009 Grand Junction Free Press
Contact:  http://www.gjfreepress.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/4327
Note: Members of the Free Press Editorial Board are Publisher  Valerie J. 
Smith, Managing Editor Tracy Dvorak, and  Staff Writer Wyatt Haupt Jr.
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmj.htm (Cannabis - Medicinal)

USE THE 'TIME OUT' TO DRAFT GUIDELINES

A proliferation of medical marijuana dispensaries in  Grand Junction
resulted in the City Council imposing a  12-month moratorium on the
licensing of the businesses.

The decision, which was made earlier this week, came at  the end of a
public hearing on the issue in which many  owners and operators of the
businesses in the area  voiced their support for a so-called "time
out."

Some of those business owners also encouraged City  Council members to
go visit their shops in order to get  a better sense about the nature
of their activities.  That would seem like a good idea. The City
Council is  going to have plenty of time.

While we agree with their unanimous decision to impose  the
moratorium, we also hope the group uses the time to  draft some
guidelines with respect to regulating the  businesses. There appears
to be some desire to let the  state take the lead on the issue. Ceding
to the state  would be the easiest thing to do given some have called
upon the legislature to lay down law to regulate  dispensaries in
Colorado. But taking a proactive  approach to the issue would also be
a good thing for  the council, much like some other municipalities
have  done in recent months. Fruita is the latest example of  this.
Tuesday, the Fruita City Council opened the door  for medical
marijuana stores to set up shop in their  city limits, but only under
certain regulatory  conditions similar to what liquor stores must follow.

The town of Silverthorne decided in October to allow  the dispensaries
to operate as long as the businesses  were not located within certain
proximity of public  places, residential neighborhoods and schools. In
  contrast, the Dillon City Council rejected regulations  to permit the
dispensaries in the Summit County town  even though the decision this
month would appear to run  afoul of state law. A moratorium on
dispensaries was  also extended until mid-February giving the town of
Dillon some time to figure out its next move.

While we respect the right of each governing body to  address the
issue as each deems a fit manner, we also  think, in some small way
each is contributing to a  larger discussion that could eventually
lead to  universal regulation within the state. Given that Grand
Junction has long been an influential and leading voice  in the state,
it would seem now is the time to act  instead of taking a back seat
and letting others do the  bidding for them.

Members of the Free Press Editorial Board are Publisher  Valerie J.
Smith, Managing Editor Tracy Dvorak, and  Staff Writer Wyatt Haupt Jr. 
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