Pubdate: Wed, 08 Jul 2015
Source: Colorado Springs Independent (CO)
Column: CannaBiz
Copyright: 2015 Colorado Springs Independent
Contact:  http://www.csindy.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1536
Author: Bryce Crawford

ELEVATIONS DISPENSARY BRINGS HIGH-CLASS TO THE NORTH SIDE

Getting higher

This Friday, July 10, co-owner Troy VanOrden and his Elevations 
Dispensary (8270 Razorback Road, elevationsdispensary.com) will 
celebrate the medical-marijuana center's grand opening.

VanOrden, 33, says he's been working in the industry in Denver for 
several years, but saw a chance to return to where he was born and 
raised. He hopes to set Elevations apart from other dispensaries, 
something VanOrden says he's very familiar with.

"I went all over Colorado," he says. "I kind of do things a little 
bit differently than a lot of people have, in my opinion. ... I'm not 
the shop on Platte that has one guy working that doesn't really know 
what he's talking about. I always have two to four staff members that 
are all really knowledgeable on the products they're trying to get rid of."

The main focus is bringing in lots of different high-quality strains 
from lots of different growers in a classy environment.

VanOrden says he has some 40 strains now, ranging in cost from $122 
to $230 per ounce, with some 10 or 15 being described as 
"premium-premium." He says he's also stocking a large variety of 
concentrates from companies like Viola Extracts, Green Dot Labs, 
Mahatma Concentrates and others.

First-time members can get 25 percent off their first purchase, while 
VanOrden has something for those new to the whole thing.

"One thing I'm kind of doing that's a little unique is if you've 
never had your card before, I'll give you a packet, a bunch of 
doctors you can go to," he says. "And what I'll do - there's some 
laws I have to follow that won't let me pay for your card - but what 
I do is I offer, if you're a first-time cardholder, the first three 
months I'll give you a $25 coupon each month that you can use, 
that'll basically pay for your card after three months."

The grand opening runs from 2 to 6 p.m. and includes food, drink, 
music and giveaways.

Keef crumbs

A year into the opening of its retail outlets, the state of 
Washington has roughly 160 recreational-marijuana stores selling 
around $1.4 million in marijuana per day, the Associated Press 
reports. The combined first-year taxes were over $70 million, as 
opposed to Colorado's first-year $44 million.

"Nobody's counting on the revenue from cannabis sales to save us, but 
it has an impact," the AP quoted Vermont state senator David 
Zuckerman as saying. Vermont is considered a likely candidate for 
cannabis legalization. "The more important thing is that the sky 
didn't fall in Colorado. The tidal wave hasn't hit Seattle. They're 
showing us that this can be done."

As of July 1, a new state law took effect banning home hash-oil 
extractions using flammable liquids or compressed gases. Those so 
charged face a Class 2 drug felony.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom