Pubdate: Sat, 01 Aug 2015
Source: Denver Post (CO)
Copyright: 2015 The Denver Post Corp
Contact:  http://www.denverpost.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/122
Author: Jesse Paul

ASPEN POT SHOPS CITED

Two Stores Sold Weed to Minors.

Two recreational marijuana shops in Aspen were cited this week by 
state regulators for selling pot to an underage customer in a set of 
rare cases for the industry in Colorado.

The Marijuana Enforcement Division confirmed that it issued two 
citations after conducting seven underage compliance checks in Aspen.

Since January 2014, the division has conducted about 130 underage 
compliance checks statewide, resulting in a total of nine violations, 
Moore said.

In the 19 months since recreational marijuana has been legal in 
Colorado, recreational shops - for the most part - have been lauded 
for their compliance with state law, particularly on the hot-button 
topic of underage possession and consumption.

In Washington state, by comparison, which legalized recreational 
marijuana at the same time Colorado did but implemented recreational 
sales six months later, several stores have been reprimanded for 
selling to minors.

The Aspen Times first reported the Native Roots citation.

Authorities have not said which shops were cited, but Native Roots 
confirmed to The Post on Friday that one of their employees sold 
marijuana to a state enforcement officer posing as an underage customer.

"Needless to say, we're extremely remorseful," said Dave Cuesta, who 
handles compliance and licensing for Native Roots.

"We've been through several sting operations, and this is the first 
time our employees have sold to undercover agents," he added.

According to Josh Ginsberg, CEO of Native Roots, one employee was cited.

"Saying that I'm appalled and outraged by this act would be an 
understatement," Ginsberg said in a statement. "Native Roots holds 
itself to the highest standards, and as a company we've put measures 
in place to ensure the highest standards are met."

Ginsberg said the employee in question and the Aspen store's manager 
have been fired. He said "swift and company-wide action" will be 
taken to avoid underage sales.

Native Roots is one of Colorado's largest recreational marijuana 
enterprises with 11 stores throughout the state, including one in 
Dillon that opened this week.

While medical marijuana stores can sell to registered patients under 
21, recreational stores can sell only to those 21 and over and must 
check identification. Stores that are found selling to someone 
underage could have their license suspended or revoked or face a fine 
up to $100,000.

"It's not something I hear about happening in Colorado," Tyler 
Henson, president of the Colorado Cannabis Chamber of Commerce, said 
of recreational shops selling to minors.

Henson said as an industry, recreational marijuana enterprises have 
been vigilant about selling to minors.

"Are we going to see these types of incidents in the future? I'm 
going to say it's bound to happen," he said.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom