Pubdate: Wed, 07 Jul 2010 Source: Pueblo Chieftain (CO) Copyright: 2010 The Pueblo Chieftain Contact: http://www.chieftain.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1613 BEST APPROACH PUEBLO CITY Council has scheduled next Monday to decide approving a ballot issue to ask city voters in November whether to allow medical marijuana centers in the city. One such center operated for several months and paid the city $20,000 in sales taxes this year before being shut down on a cease-and-desist order by the city. The owners have indicated they will appeal the order. At least one member of City Council believes that, because a majority of Pueblo voters opposed the amendment allowing for medical marijuana while a majority statewide approved it, local voters should be asked again whether to allow dispensaries inside the city limits. Meanwhile, Pueblo County commissioners are allowing dispensaries already in business to stay open while zoning regulations for the centers are completed. Seventeen businesses were allowed to file a simple pre-license application. Medical marijuana has gained widespread support, even among those who've never used it and don't plan to. We suspect that growing support will result in an end to the federal ban against it. We also continue to support adopting the model of land use rules for licensing liquor establishments as the best approach toward approving medical marijuana dispensaries. That includes distance limits to schools and similar buildings. Don't reinvent the wheel. - --- MAP posted-by: Matt