Pubdate: Wed, 06 Nov 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

CENTER OPENS ON THE WEST SIDE, ELECTION SPENDING AND MORE

Hit the store

Located just west of the downtown bridge, The 64 Store (502 W. 
Colorado Ave., the64store.net) came into being in early July - just 
in time to see Colorado Springs City Council opt out of Amendment 64 
a few weeks later. "We opened the store, you know, with the name, in 
hopes that Colorado Springs would allow recreational sales," says 
manager Kate Penaloza with a laugh. "But unfortunately they didn't, 
so we're just another medical-marijuana dispensary with a funny name."

That hasn't stopped the 64 Store - a sister to Cannabicare, which is 
also owned by Jeff and Julie Sveinsson and actually won this year's 
Best Of award for east-side dispensary - from bringing the bud. 
Patients can find around 10 strains currently, from White Master Kush 
to Neville's Abusive Wreck, but that number should double in the near 
future. House-made waxes and extracts are likewise on the way.

Also find varied prices on edibles in the "very cute little store," 
as well as daily specials and a loyalty program that returns 10 
percent for every $250 spent.

"We're proud of the fact that we can bring the quality to the meds at 
a very fair price," says Penaloza. "A lot of stores have a whole lot 
of strains, and some of them are shitty and some of them are good. We 
just try to keep our quality all-good."

Proposed spending

The group pushing Proposition AA, the statewide tax measure voted on 
this week, vastly out-raised its opponents, the most recent 
campaign-finance reports reveal. As of Oct. 28, the Committee for 
Responsible Regulation raised $65,635, spending a large portion of 
that on consultants like RBI Strategies & Research ($14,000); Vicente 
Sederberg, LLC, co-authors of Amendment 64 ($10,000); and the 
Marijuana Policy Project's Steve Fox ($8,000).

No Over Taxation, fronted by attorney Rob Corry, brought in $2,147 in 
cash, mostly spending it on office supplies and signage, likely to 
support its infamous joint giveaways at rallies in Denver and 
Boulder. Ultimately, the events generated a complaint from Colorado 
Ethics Watch, prompting the group to amend its filing with "what 
might be a first in campaign-finance history," says the Denver Post: 
an in-kind contribution of $1,250 worth of marijuana.

Check our IndyBlog for results of the vote on Prop AA, as it comes 
after our print deadline.

Keef crumbs

Two notes from the Huffington Post:

First, a poll conducted by the website in conjunction with yougov.com 
revealed that 26 percent of the 1,000 adults asked would at least 
purchase marijuana "rarely" if it was legal in their state.

Second, a report authored by Steve Berg says that the 2013 marijuana 
market is worth $1.43 billion, with that number expected to jump to 
$2.34 billion next year.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom