Pubdate: Tue, 29 Dec 2009 Source: Pueblo Chieftain (CO) Copyright: 2009 The Pueblo Chieftain Contact: http://www.chieftain.com/forms/letters/ Website: http://www.chieftain.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1613 Author: Tracy Harmon, The Pueblo Chieftain Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmj.htm (Cannabis - Medicinal) CANON CITY TO MULL MEDICAL POT ORDINANCE The Town Has One Dispensary In Operation With Others Poised For Opening. CANON CITY - While Pueblo has put medical marijuana dispensary licensing on hold until June 1, Canon City Council will mull its own ordinance Jan. 19. "We have one medical marijuana dispensary which continues to operate on Main Street and three or four others that we've put on hold pending the outcome of the ordinance," said John Havens, Canon City attorney. Medical marijuana is used to treat pain associated with several maladies including cancer, arthritis, epilepsy and glaucoma. Those who use it must register to obtain a state license to legally possess the drug. In the proposed ordinance penned by Havens, Canon City, "Wishes to comply with the provisions of state law pertaining to the medical use of marijuana, while also limiting the locations within the city where marijuana may be cultivated, processed, kept and distributed for medical use by patients." Specifically, Havens' suggested ordinance would limit dispensaries to general commercial or central business zones. It also restricts distance from schools and licensed day-care facilities of at least 300 feet. The ordinance also would require a business plan to include required documentation such as number of patients served, plus description of any cultivation including where it occurs and number of plants grown. In terms of signage, the business would have to use the word medical immediately before such words as marijuana or cannabis. That would mean a slight change in name for the city's current medical marijuana dispensary, Rocky Mountain Cannabis, located at 520 Main St. Primary caregiver Jeremiah Johnson told Havens before opening the business two months ago that he estimates there are in excess of 120 registered medical marijuana patients in Fremont County. "That number has probably gone up," Havens said. "Currently there is no limit on the number of patients," so the local dispensary could provide for Pueblo patient needs. There is a limit set on number of plants per patient, which is six. Rocky Mountain Cannabis does grow some of its plants but it is done off premises by the caregiver outside city limits, Havens said. "The plants can be in possession of the patient or the caregiver and in most cases it is the caregiver because the caregiver is better at the science of cultivation," Havens said. Havens said he drafted his proposed ordinance so that dispensaries would have to comply with local or state requirements, so if the state Legislature passes draft legislation penned by Sen. Chris Romer, D-Denver, which requires licensing of dispensaries and growers, then local businesses would have to comply. Havens said he cannot predict what will happen when the full council weighs in on the ordinance. There are several options including requiring licensing, adopting the ordinance as is, amending the ordinance or imposing a moratorium. "Some citizens were vocal at the planning commission meeting, saying they prefer the city prevent dispensaries. There is a lot of cynicism and suspicion connected with medical marijuana that dispensaries would allow the sale of recreational marijuana, but I don't see that in connection with our one operation here," Havens said. According to the Rocky Mountain Cannabis Web site, the dispensary offers a variety of products that can be eaten, smoked or vaporized or administered through tinctures, lotions and creams. - --- MAP posted-by: Jo-D