Pubdate: Wed, 18 Sep 2013
Source: Colorado Springs Independent (CO)
Column: Cannabiz
Copyright: 2013 Colorado Springs Independent
Contact:  http://www.csindy.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1536
Author: Bryce Crawford

PALMER LAKE RESIDENTS FIGHT BACK ON MARIJUANA, AND MORE

Not done up north

Locals are fighting back against the town of Palmer Lake's decision 
to opt out of allowing recreational marijuana under Amendment 64, and 
may be headed for a community vote on overturning the ban in April. 
Joshua Havens with P.L.A.N. 64 - Palmer Lake Activist Network 64 - 
says in an e-mail that the group is already drafting hypothetical 
regulations for discussion.

"We are concerned about taxes, and how they will be spread out," he 
writes. "We want this fair for the ENTIRE community. Everyone is 
fairly excited and are gearing up. ..."

The Indy was unable to reach town representatives prior to deadline. 
For more information, see facebook.com/plan64.

Talking it out

The fate of the world will be the topic of the Colorado Springs World 
Affairs Council Young Professionals' talk on Wednesday, Sept. 18. 
Titled "Global Implications of the Legalization of Marijuana," the 
panel discussion kicks off at 5:30 p.m. at Ivywild School (1604 S. 
Cascade Ave., csworldaffairs.org), costs $15 to $20, and features 
speakers like Mark Slaugh, advocate and owner of iComply; Dr. Donald 
Klingner, from the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs; and 
anti-marijuana activist Rachel O'Bryan.

"Learn about implications for the military and business communities, 
as well as the international landscape during this Q&A style 
conversation with those in the trenches of this issue, sure to shape 
our future," reads the release.

No new taxes

The No on Proposition AA (noovertaxation.org) campaign hates the 
November marijuana-tax question, and wants to argue about it with its 
backers. "Coloradans deserve to hear both sides aired out in a fair 
and open debate," says campaign member Rob Corry, a Denver 
criminal-defense attorney prominent in the cannabis world, in a press 
release. "We challenge AA proponents to put their dangerous ideas to 
the Truth Test. If Coloradans hear equally from both sides, voters 
will roundly reject this excessive tax."

Those so-confronted include Attorney General John Suthers, Colorado 
Sen. Pat Steadman and Brian Vicente, co-author of Amendment 64.

"These tax increases," continues Corry, "will decimate small and 
medium sized marijuana businesses." Recently, the pro-marijuana group 
Colorado NORML also came out against the proposition.

Counting feds

On Monday, the Federal Bureau of Investigation released a report 
showing that 82.2 percent of all drug-related arrests were for 
possession only, and of those, 42.4 percent were for possession of 
marijuana. Read the report at tiny.cc/FBIstats.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom