Pubdate: Wed, 02 Dec 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: Griffin Swartzell

COLORADO SPRINGS CONSIDERS PENALTIES FOR MINORS, REPRESENTATIVES 
SCOLD DEA, AND MORE.

Think of the children

City Council is considering an ordinance that levies municipal 
penalties if someone younger than 18 is caught with marijuana 
paraphernalia, minus MMJ patients. Minors found with anything "used, 
intended for use, or designed for use in planting, propagating, 
cultivating, growing, harvesting, composting, manufacturing, 
compounding, converting, producing, processing, preparing, testing, 
analyzing, packaging, repackaging, storing, vaporizing, or containing 
marijuana, or for ingesting, inhaling, or otherwise introducing 
marijuana into the human body" face fines of up to $500 and/or 
probation, the same maximum punishment as any other juvenile 
violation of city code, according to Frederick Stein, public safety 
attorney with the city attorney's office.

That list casts a wide net, but it's the same terminology used in the 
extant state law that bans people younger than 21 from possessing 
weed paraphernalia. The maximum state fine is $100 for a first offense.

Councilor Tom Strand noted that vape pens are one of the major 
concerns behind the ordinance, suggesting that it may be difficult to 
tell a vape pen from an ink pen - and there are a few products like 
that on the market. Police are equipped with field test kits for 
marijuana residue, and the text of the ordinance says a positive 
field test is prima facie evidence.

While this ordinance appears to be a legitimate effort to punish 
young pot users, the city does not levy its own penalties for 
under-18 drinkers, despite the health risk. Whether this ordinance 
may reduce youth marijuana use or simply burden our courts is yet to be seen.

Council will do a first reading of the ordinance during its meeting 
scheduled for Dec. 8.

Keef Crumbs

On Nov. 18, we reported that a change.org petition demanding Acting 
DEA Chief Chuck Rosenberg be fired for calling medical marijuana a 
joke had passed 87,000 signatures. The next day, seven members of the 
House of Representatives signed a letter to President Barack Obama 
stating that Rosenberg's statements "demonstrate [he] is not the 
right person to lead the DEA." Those signers are Earl Blumenauer, 
D-Ore.; Dana Rohrabacher, R-Calif.; Steve Cohen, D-Tenn.; Sam Farr, 
D-Calif.; Barbara Lee, D-Calif.; Ted Lieu, D-Calif.; and Jim 
McDermott, D-Wash. Taken alongside the 128,139 petition signers as of 
press time, Rosenberg's career is looking bleaker by the day.

R&B sensation Rihanna will not release a line of cannabis products in 
early 2016. A report from 18KaratReggae.com claimed she announced the 
line at the High Times Cannabis Cup in Negril, Jamaica. Her publicist 
dismissed the claim in an interview with NYMag.com. Sadly, 
MaRihanna's Karibbean Kush, Haitian Haze and Jamaican High Grade are 
but pipe dreams.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom