Pubdate: Sun, 09 Nov 2014
Source: Denver Post (CO)
Copyright: 2014 The Denver Post Corp
Contact:  http://www.denverpost.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/122
Author: Austin Briggs, YourHub

LAKEWOOD POT BAN MAY HURT SHOPS

Medical Marijuana Dispensaries Fear the No-Retail Vote Could Kill 
Their Business.

Owners of medical marijuana dispensaries in Lakewood say the vote to 
ban retail sales could be the death knell for their businesses.

And some marijuana opponents flush with excitement over the ballot 
victory say the fight isn't over.

"I was elated, just thrilled," said Dan Cohrs, chief financial 
officer for Colorado Christian University, one of two groups that 
opposed retail sales."We had a targeted push, a grassroots campaign 
focused on educating the public, and to win by a landslide is exhilarating."

In 2012, Lakewood voters approved Amendment 64, which legalized 
marijuana statewide, by a ratio of almost 3-to-2, but voters rejected 
retail operations 54 percent to 46 percent.

Shaun Gindi, owner of Compassionate Pain Management at 11950 W. 
Colfax Ave., viewed the vote as a "heartbreaking" loss that may put 
Lakewood medical marijuana shops out of business. He said many have 
struggled to stay open, hoping the more profitable retail operations 
would be allowed. Twelve medical marijuana dispensaries now operate 
in the city.

"What Lakewood did is vote for an illegal drug trade - they voted for 
an unregulated black market, against tax revenue and against their 
city," Gindi said.

The stores aren't the cash cows of public perception, Gindi said, and 
as retail prices continue to drop, the thin or nonexistent profit 
margins of the smaller industry players are falling into the red.

He said he's still going to fight to keep his six-employee business 
open, which in part is kept afloat by a dual retail/medical shop he 
owns in Louisville.

Earlier this summer, the City Council in Colorado's fifth-largest 
city voted to ban retail marijuana cultivation, testing, 
manufacturing, hash-oil and smoking clubs. Retail operations were put 
to a public vote.

People on both sides of the issue expressed dismay at the wording of 
the ballot question-voting "yes" on 2A actually meant saying "no" to 
retail stores - and said they heard from people who accidentally 
voted the wrong way.

Mayor Bob Murphy said the "very prescriptive language" of Amendment 
64 means municipalities can only ask the question of banning in the negative.

"You're only allowed to ask to prohibit," Murphy explained. "We 
followed the language of the state constitution, and that's all we could do."

Like Gindi, Cristine Romarine owns one medical shop in Lakewood - 
Infinite Wellness at 1701 Kipling St.- and a dual shop elsewhere. She 
agreed the passage of 2A is a big hit but remains optimistic her 
Lakewood store will remain open-for now.

"Not being able to expand hurts us a lot," Romarine said. "In the 
long run, I honestly would not be surprised if the state winds up 
scrapping the medical model altogether. If retail prices keep 
dropping, it makes you wonder, why bother dealing with it at all?"

In the meantime, Murphy said the city will not be addressing any pot 
issues in the foreseeable future.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom