Pubdate: Wed, 15 Oct 2014
Source: Colorado Springs Independent (CO)
Column: Cannabiz
Copyright: 2014 Colorado Springs Independent
Contact:  http://www.csindy.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1536
Author: Bryce Crawford

RED CARD GOES PURPLE; GREEN FLOWS IN MANITOU; YELLOW CAB UPDATE

Meet the purple card

Despite how much you probably love the oversized paper red card 
denoting your participation in the Colorado medical-marijuana program 
- - you know, the one that doesn't really fit on your person or resist 
any kind of damage and actually says "Void if laminated" - its days 
are numbered. A smaller, credit-card-sized version is now in 
circulation via a largely unpublicized change made effective Aug. 15, 
says the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.

The new version features a purple base fading up into a 
mountainscape. Users who've received it tell the Indy that, while 
it's an upgrade, the writing is still easily scratched off. Comments 
online also reflect dissatisfaction with its girth, with one Redditor 
writing, "I mean I've had [B]lockbuster cards with more thickness 
than this thing. But it is plastic none the less. And should be 
somewhat easier to take care of."

CDPHE spokesman Mark Salley says replacement ID cards will still use 
the current format until supplies run out. See the new version on the 
IndyBlog at tiny.cc/nqronx.

Mountains of green

According to owner Bill Conkling, Maggie's Farm will be turning over 
$223,122 in sales tax collections to the town of Manitou Springs. 
That's for the two-month period between July 31, when the 
recreational store opened, and Oct. 7.

With a 10.4 percent combined sales-tax rate, rough calculations 
suggest sales of around $2.15 million at the one store. (Manitou has 
allowed for a second store; the current occupant of that site, an MMJ 
dispensary called Reserve 1, had a disconnected phone number. Its 
Denver location played a "We're temporarily closed" voicemail.)

The news was first reported by the Pikes Peak Bulletin - disclosure: 
a publication co-owned by Indy publisher John Weiss - that quotes 
Manitou administrator Jason Wells as saying: "Recreational marijuana 
is a big game changer. Without that revenue stream, we will see a 
drop-off in our reserves relative to this year. With that revenue 
stream, that might not be the case." Manitou officials declined to 
confirm the numbers when contacted by the Indy, citing privacy laws.

Should the initial rate of sales hold up, which is somewhat unlikely 
as the novelty wears off, Manitou would be looking at additional 
revenue of around $1.3 million.

Cab on, folks

Though we received a tip saying Yellow Cab Company is reticent to 
pick people up from locations like Speak Easy Vape Lounge (2508 E. 
Bijou St., speakeasycannabisclub.com), general manager Fred Hair says 
that's probably not the case.

"I'm not aware of any problem at that address," he says. "I'm not 
saying you couldn't find a driver or two that doesn't want to pick up 
there or somewhere else, but we have more than one driver. And 
generally speaking, they call and we haul."
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom