In Colorado and Nationwide, There's Still a Lot to Learn About Combining the Two Three years after Colorado voted to legalize recreational marijuana, little is known about whether the state's roads are less safe - and law enforcement efforts remain largely focused on alcohol, not pot. One glaring example: A Coloradan who pleads guilty to driving under the influence of marijuana is required to install a device on his car's ignition to measure the alcohol in his breath. "Basically, I could continue to smoke as much weed as I wanted, and the DMV would be none the wiser," said Colin McCallin, a Denver defense attorney who specializes in DUI laws. [continues 1385 words]
DENVER (AP) - The booming marijuana industry went to a federal judge Monday seeking an answer to the problem that has vexed business owners trying to emerge from the black market: Now that pot is legal and taxed in some states, why can't they put the proceeds in a bank? A Colorado credit union designed to serve the pot industry - Fourth Corner Credit Union - was challenging a decision by the U.S. Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City to keep the pot bank from accessing the nation's financial system. The feds' rejection earlier this year means that the pot bank can't take deposits or issue credit - leaving many marijuana businesses operating on a cash-only basis. [continues 509 words]
Blowing smoke Professor Herb Hill is designing a marijuana breath test to help police detect stoned drivers. Hill, who teaches chemistry at Washington State University, found out how tricky it can be to identify stoned drivers from a colleague in political science. "I said, 'Why don't we have a Breathalyzer for that?' He said none exists," Hill told NPR. "I said, 'We can probably make one.'" NPR reports preliminary testing has proven the basic concept: Hill's prototype can detect THC. But it's far from mass implementation. The device needs to be calibrated against blood tests to figure what it will read when a driver is legally intoxicated. Further adjustments will account for "gender, race, body types and level of use," according to the report. [continues 318 words]
Colorado Credit Union Seeks to Do Business With the Pot Industry. DENVER - Calling itself the "littlest David" battling the "biggest Goliath," a fledgling Colorado credit union took the Federal Reserve to court Monday in a case that may determine whether the cannabis industry will bank openly or continue to operate almost entirely in cash. Denver's Fourth Corner Credit Union is looking to be the first financial institution in the nation that caters openly to the cannabis industry. But the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, which oversees the Denver district, has denied it a master account needed to do business. [continues 715 words]
Jackson Urges the Fed and a Marijuana Credit Union to Reach Accord. A federal judge said Monday he sympathizes with pot businesses faced with contradictory regulations, but he expressed misgivings about forcing federal officials to approve a marijuana credit union. U.S. District Judge R. Brooke Jackson made it clear at a court hearing that he was not inclined to issue an injunction forcing the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City to grant a master account to Fourth Corner Credit Union. [continues 579 words]
A budgetary squeeze has apparently accomplished what civil liberties proponents have been unable to do: curb arrangements under which local police team with federal agencies in seizing the property of people who will never be convicted of any crime. And while the change in policy may not be a permanent respite from these abuses of due process and the presumption of innocence, it's at least a start. Earlier this year state Sen. Laura Woods, R-Arvada, offered a bill to tighten rules on these so-called equitable-sharing arrangements, which have become the most lucrative examples of "policing for profit," as the Washington-based Institute for Justice calls them. [continues 255 words]
The Novelty and Stigma of Marijuana Continue to Erode After Legalization Like countless commuters in Denver's urban core, Marty Otanez can't help but smell the pot smoke as he rides to work along the Cherry Creek bike path downtown. "A couple years ago it was only under the bridge at Colfax and Speer," Otanez said of the clouds emanating from public tokers. "Now it's pretty much every 100 meters." Increased pot smoke swirling around city streets and parks is one of the most recognizable effects of Amendment 64 - which legalized the recreational use and sale of marijuana in Colorado - particularly since public consumption remains illegal. [continues 930 words]
DENVER - A marijuana banking case set for arguments today is testing the federal government's stated goal of addressing the cash-only nature of the quasi-legal pot industry. But should pot sellers be able to use the nation's banking system as long as marijuana is an illegal drug? It's a question before a federal judge trying to weigh a Colorado-chartered bank's attempt to force the U.S. Federal Reserve to let pot shops access the nation's banking system. [continues 316 words]
Two years after recreational marijuana was legalized in Colorado, school officials still don't know if more kids are using or bringing the drug to schools. Educators say not much has changed since legalization, and the data tracking drug use, when available, are unlikely to have a big impact. But schools are encouraged by grants - funded by a portion of the state's marijuana tax revenue - that provide more health professionals in schools to support drug education and prevention programs. "Marijuana use has been a big issue for a long time. It's nothing new. Students have been able to find a variety of substances that aren't legal for them for some time now," said John Simmons, executive director of student services for Denver Public Schools. "But we have more in our bag of tricks now." [continues 862 words]
A marijuana banking case set for arguments Monday is testing the federal government's stated goal of addressing the cash-only nature of the quasi-legal pot industry. But should pot sellers be able to use the nation's banking system as long as marijuana is an illegal drug? It's a question before a federal judge trying to weigh a Colorado-chartered bank's attempt to force the U.S. Federal Reserve to let those pot shops access the nation's banking system. [continues 126 words]
DENVER (AP) - A marijuana banking case set for arguments today is testing the federal government's stated goal of addressing the cash-only nature of the quasi-legal pot industry. But should pot sellers be able to use the nation's banking system as long as marijuana is an illegal drug? It's a question before a federal judge trying to weigh a Colorado-chartered bank's attempt to force the U.S. Federal Reserve to let those pot shops access the nation's banking system. [continues 308 words]
Ask Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper how marijuana legalization is going, now almost two years into a historic initiative of allowing licensed stores to sell cannabis to anyone over 21, and he offers this: "In many ways, the first two years of marijuana legalization has been a testament to Coloradans and our ability to work together." Hickenlooper praises opposing sides for settling on common pot policies that he believes have so far helped the legalization rollout go smoothly. But what he stops short of saying is whether legalization, overall, is positive or negative for the state. [continues 1463 words]
Dear Stoner: Know any good edibles ideas for Christmas? Something better than gingerbread men, please. Saint Bic Dear Bic: What, you don't like biting the heads off delicious gingerbread folks? Your loss. Here are a few pot-infused recipes to help you get roasted by an open fire without too much effort. Medicated Apple Butter Ingredients: 1 1/2 tbsp brown sugar 1/2 apple 3/4 tbsp cinnamon 1 cup cannabis butter (softened) Cut the apple in thin slices, then combine with brown sugar, cinnamon and butter. Dump everything into a food processor (blenders work, too) and blend until soft and thoroughly mixed. Put the result in the fridge for a few hours. Enjoy with a medicated muffin or regular scones and cranberry bread. Just be sure to label it - for Grandma's sake. [continues 198 words]
As the apothecary movement of dispensaries proves the market and merit of medical marijuana, the industry and its consumers find themselves in a grey area. The federal government promises to keep their nose out of state affairs, especially when it comes to the medical side of cannabis, but before landmark federal endorsement can come, the drug will be subject to the regulatory structures of the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), including medical trials and pharmaceutical regulation. There are small permissions for medical marijuana at the federal level, like last week when Congress passed language to stop the Obama Administration's Department of Justice from spending money to block the implementation of state medical marijuana laws. The language is a benchmark in the legalization of medical marijuana, signaling a major shift in drug policy as the reigns on prohibition loosen. [continues 540 words]
Legal Sellers Also Face Difficulties As Marijuana Remains Federally Outlawed DENVER - The Fourth Corner Credit Union occupies a prime spot in downtown Denver, not far from the state Capitol. It has a big safe, four teller windows, drive-up service and a banner out front that says, "The Fourth Corner Credit Union Coming Soon." But there's a problem. The Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City in Missouri, which oversees Denver, has refused Fourth Corner's request for a "master account," essentially a bank account allowing it to do business. [continues 920 words]
Cannavengers assemble A few Colorado Springs cannabis clubs are moving to self-regulate. On Dec. 7, Jaymen Johnson announced on Facebook the formation of the Association of Cannabis Social Clubs. It's a project that the Speak Easy Vape Lounge owner has been working on for some time, in collaboration with Jason Warf, director for the Southern Colorado Cannabis Council (SoCoCC); Ambur Rose and Jason Stark of Studio A64; and Jered McCusker of One Love Club (closed currently due to fire-code violations). [continues 365 words]
By legalizing "recreational" marijuana in 2012, Colorado challenged marijuana policy, not just for the United States but for the world. Even earlier, Colorado legalized "medical marijuana," with a full blown commercial industry beginning in 2009. Today, three years into fully legal marijuana, it is time to ask, "How's that working out?" While there is dispute over just about everything related to marijuana in Colorado, three facts stand out. First the advent of legal marijuana did not eliminate the illegal market for marijuana. Illegal marijuana is cheaper than legal marijuana because of the taxes paid and the regulations required for the legal product. [continues 355 words]
President Barack Obama's National Drug Control Strategy in 2010 first proclaimed the major policy goals of the administration's approach to the drug problem and the goals were to be met by 2015. Not only have they not been met, in critical instances, the policies have been going in the wrong direction, rapidly. We learned last week that, in the midst of the opiate overdose crisis, heroin overdose deaths rose an additional 28 percent between 2013 and 2014. That's on top of the 340 percent rise in heroin deaths since 2007, such that beyond the 8,217 deaths of 2013, we now have another 10,574. That is, we now see a 440 percent increase from the Bush years. [continues 948 words]
DENVER - The Fourth Corner Credit Union occupies a prime spot in downtown Denver, not far from the state Capitol. It has a big safe, four teller windows, drive-up service and a banner out front that says, "The Fourth Corner Credit Union Coming Soon." But there's a problem. The Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City in Missouri, which oversees Denver, has refused Fourth Corner's request for a "master account," essentially a bank account allowing it to do business. "You can't have a bank chartered by the state of Colorado and then nullified by the federal government," said Mark Mason, an attorney for the credit union. [continues 1238 words]
U.S. Solicitor General Donald Verrilli Jr.'s opinion on why the U.S. Supreme Court should deny a complaint against Colorado's marijuana laws brought by neighboring states is straightforward and sensible. Verrilli points out that the nation's highest court rarely intercedes in state disputes, reserving jurisdiction to cases with clear damages, such as when pollution from one state causes harm to people or property in another state, or when a state's actions can be demonstrated to be causing economic harm in another. [continues 240 words]
Boulder City Council and staff are structuring and compiling an advisory panel to research and make recommendations towards the city's regulation of marijuana, to convene January 2016. As the marijuana industry matures, the City is working to update codes and create forward-looking regulations. The 10-member panel will be balanced between industry professionals and key stakeholders outside of the industry. "The city was a pioneer in creating ordinances for medical marijuana and establishing best practices that were adopted throughout the state for this new industry," wrote City Manager Jane Brautigan in a press release. "Now it's time to focus our efforts on standards that ensure a safe industry, and the role marijuana businesses play in the community." [continues 574 words]
What's that smell? Paranoia? On its first reading last week, Colorado Springs City Council backed an ordinance that would deliver municipal penalties to anyone younger than 18 in possession of marijuana paraphernalia, with Helen Collins and Bill Murray opposing. As defined, "paraphernalia" extends beyond pipes and vape pens to include a wide range of items, from scales to plastic bags - anything that smells like or tests positive for marijuana. To keep garden tools from qualifying as paraphernalia, Councilor Andy Pico proposed removing references to anything used in "cultivating, growing, harvesting or composting" marijuana, and Council agreed. [continues 499 words]
Marijuana. It's a word we're all are familiar with, especially if you've been living in Colorado for the last five years. It's a word that can stir up emotions immediately, regardless of where your convictions lay. It is a word that is rampant in headlines across the U.S., increasingly so every day. It is a word that was introduced into our lexicon innocently enough, only to be kidnapped by the social media of the time and used to vilify and condemn a plant that never meant any harm. [continues 471 words]
Dear Stoner: What's the best way to renew your medical card and avoid a disruption in service? What if you don't have the cash flow to stock up before the wait? Mario Dear Mario: The answer is simple: Take care of it early. You don't want to be the kid who can't go on the field trip because you never got your permission slip signed, do you? That's why you take it home and get that sucker filled out ASAP - so while dumbass Robbie is crying because he'll be stuck at school all day, you'll be checking out dino skeletons and caveman exhibits at the museum. Don't be a Robbie when it comes to your medical card, either. [continues 340 words]
Rural Neighbors of the Man Accused of Killing Three People at a Planned Parenthood Clinic Say He Was Part of a "Green Rush" of Newcomers Drawn to Hartsel by the Lure of Legal Marijuana. Hartsel) Robert Dear Jr.'s arrival here was part of a frenetic migration some locals derisively call the "green rush." Just as people rushed haphazardly into the Rockies for gold in 1858, many of Hartsel's newcomers moved here from across the country after recreational marijuana was legalized in 2012, rancher Keith Wells said. [continues 1331 words]
Due process Prosecutors throughout the state are complaining that it's too hard to convict stoned drivers, according to a CBS4/Denver report. In Colorado, any driver with more than 5 nanograms of THC per milliliter of blood is legally presumed to be impaired, but those accused can rebut the charge in court. CBS4 cites the June 2014 trial of Westminster resident Melanie Brinegar, who was recently found not guilty of driving under the influence. Jurors were told that when she was pulled over for expired tags, she was not driving erratically. While she did fail roadside sobriety tests, jurors reportedly tried the tests themselves and found them difficult while sober. [continues 342 words]
Jack the Stack Dear Jack: Yes, you can - with a catch. Colorado law allows residents over the age of 21 to grow up to six plants (up to twelve per household; only half can be in the flowering stage) in a private, enclosed space at their homes - indoor or outdoor. Most choose the indoor option because it's easier to construct a private, enclosed space inside a house than it is outside; putting a lock on the door of an empty room or setting up a small operation in the basement is a lot less hassle than building a greenhouse or hoop house in the back yard. In fact, those structures are banned in residential areas in some towns and neighborhoods. [continues 321 words]
On Nov. 20, Alaska's Marijuana Control Board voted to allow consumption of cannabis at licensed retail dispensaries. Alaska was the fourth state to legalize cannabis, and if signed into law, it would become the first to allow consumption outside of residential homes and private property. The vote was close (3-2), and it needs the signature of Lt. Gov. Byron Mallott, but if it holds, the law would go in effect early next year. And it would really up the ante for other legal states, Colorado included, to figure out ways to provide places for people, especially tourists, to use cannabis anywhere other than their own or friends' homes. [continues 647 words]
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. [continues 348 words]
DENVER - Every seat filled, the little tour bus navigates the busy streets of booming Denver, whisking its passengers to a glassblowing demonstration. Or they can choose a painting class. Or a cooking lesson. Or visit a farm. If this sounds like a comparatively unexciting way to see the Mile High City, look closer. Or, better yet, take a whiff. This party bus is filled with smoke and happy people, and smells like an art-school dorm. The tattooed glassblower is crafting high-priced bongs and pipes. The cooking class is for gourmands who want to flavor their cuisine with an herb you probably don't have in your spice rack. The painters' creativity is whetted by weed. And the farm is the 40,000-square-foot "cultivation facility" of one of Colorado's top cannabis producers. [continues 1070 words]
Can law enforcement take and keep your cash, car, home, or other property regardless of your guilt or innocence? The surprising answer is "yes" under the practice known as civil forfeiture. Every year, police and prosecutors around the country take more property from people without so much as charging them with a crime. According to the Institute for Justice's new national report card, Colorado is no exception, earning a C for its forfeiture laws. Though Colorado reformed its laws in 2002, it still has a long way to go to protect property rights. Currently, law enforcement need not obtain a conviction in criminal court as a prerequisite to forfeiting property in civil court. Rather, it can legally forfeit someone's property if it provides "clear and convincing evidence" - well short of the "beyond a reasonable doubt" standard for criminal convictions. [continues 430 words]
Is anyone else laughing at the irony of protecting pot consumers from the harmful effects of marijuana grown with pesticides? Larisa Bolivar of the Cannabis Consumers Coalition chides the government and businesses for not doing a better job of reaching out to customers to alert them of the recalled pot. "This is public safety. We need to be looking out for consumers' best interests." Ha, ha, that's actually funny. Wonder if they've read the research showing how pot use cripples brain development and function? Pesticides should really be the least of their concerns. Amy Gustafson, Broomfield [end]
Dear Stoner: Every time I've purchased pot here, it has been either pre-packaged or placed in a plastic container that lets the air out, if it's not already bone-dry by the time I buy it. Am I going to the wrong dispensaries, or do Colorado dispensaries not care about fresh bud? Right Near the Beach Boy Dear Beach Boy: Many dispensaries, such as the Clinic, Green Solution and L'Eagle, sell pre-packed buds so that there's less chance of you buying a product that's contaminated while on display. If you don't like pre-packaged products, then the answer is simple: Call ahead to find out how the shop sells its pot. I can understand why you find pre-packaged purchases undesirable - what you end up with often turns out to be an ugly, malnourished version of that beautiful, stanky bud you saw on display (and thought you were getting) - but that scenario plays out most often at tourist-heavy dispensaries that rely on foot traffic and non-repeat customers. If the packaging is a bottle and not a sealed bag, you can always ask the budtender to check out the buds for dryness before making your purchase, or just ask him or her what has been on the shelf the longest. [continues 277 words]
West-side weed The west side's newest cannabis club, Canna Canyon (1507 W. Colorado Ave.), is open. Owner and CEO Aaron Stone has a strong background in the weed business, having worked on both the medical and recreational sides. The former JP Wellness owner ended a year-long stint as operator of The Lazy Lion in August to create his own club, aiming for what he describes as the pure club experience - something less like a nightclub and more like an Elks lodge or brewers union. [continues 545 words]
Celebrities Bring Big Money and Big Names to a Capped Marijuana Industry On Nov. 9, Colorado's weed scene gained its capstone endorsement - Snoop Dogg launched his very own line of marijuana products including flower, chocolate bars, shatter, wax, drops and other candies. Although there is talk of other celebrities launching high-end cannabis product lines in Colorado - from Freddie Gibbs to Willie Nelson to Bob Marley's family - the first cannabis launch and surrounding media storm goes to Snoop Dogg. Ever since he came onto the hip-hop scene in 1992 as a featured artist on Dr. Dre's The Chronic, Snoop Dogg has been an advocate and unofficial spokesperson for marijuana, and his place amongst its emerging industry seems natural. [continues 644 words]
Online Alerts About Pesticide-Tainted Products Are Required. Denver health officials are requiring marijuana companies that recall products tainted with unapproved pesticides to use websites and social media accounts to alert consumers. The move comes amid concerns that few customers are learning about nine recalls the city has announced affecting tens of thousands of items across dozens of product names. Just three of the companies involved told their customers directly, a Denver Post check of their social media accounts showed. The others appear to have relied only on news releases issued by the city's Department of Environmental Health. [continues 1087 words]
A new medical marijuana dispensary aimed at seniors just jumped through another hoop in its bid for acceptance in Berkeley, California. Hopeful proprietor Sue Taylor says her business, if approved, would provide services for seniors with compatible medical strains and remedies alongside health and information classes aimed at the fast-growing retirement crowd. It would be the first, she says, in the nation. It's not like everybody will immediately start inhaling the day after they stop working, but the baby boom generation is still the pig in the python of American demographics. About 10,000 Americans turn 65 today, and about 10,000 more will be crossing that river every day for the next 19 years. That's an enormous potential market. [continues 672 words]
Dear Stoner: How would I test marijuana for pesticides? Dear Mike: Unfortunately, you can't spot pesticides with a trained eye and handheld microscope, as you can powdery mildew, mold or spider mites. Finding chemical residue left behind by pesticides requires processes like gas chromatography or polymerase chain reaction. The former is a technique used by cannabis testing labs in Colorado; it separates compounds of marijuana by using gases such as helium or nitrogen as solvents to extract microbes and contaminants from pot samples. Polymerase chain reaction is a liquid-based test that amplifies certain DNA molecules of pot samples with fluorescent enzymes: If a molecule is high in a certain microbe or toxin, the fluorescent enzymes brighten faster. [continues 278 words]
Knight's gambit Last week, Colorado Springs' long-debated medical marijuana moratorium ordinance passed 6 to 3, with City Councilors Jill Gaebler, Bill Murray and Helen Collins opposing. With bitter resignation, the local medical marijuana industry accepted the inevitability of a six-month freeze on land permits for any new MMJ businesses - growing to dispensing, and everything in between. Though the industry's concerns resulted in the ordinance being amended to allow existing businesses to expand or appeal in case of hardship, it's still a mess. [continues 616 words]
Denver's proposal to alter its licensing of marijuana businesses has some good and bad features. The City Council should reshape it before passing the plan into law. Denver Mayor Michael Hancock's administration announced it wants to extend a two-year moratorium set to expire Jan. 1 that allows only existing medical marijuana businesses to open recreational dispensaries, grow houses or edible manufacturers. The plan would also freeze medical marijuana outlets. The last part of this proposal certainly makes sense. The city should indeed suspend new licensing for medical marijuana outlets. [continues 380 words]
The Governor This Week Ordered the Quarantine and Destruction of Pot Having Unapproved Pesticides. Thousands of marijuana-infused products, recently recalled in Denver over concerns they contain unapproved pesticides, will likely be destroyed in light of the governor's order to label them a public safety hazard. Gov. John Hickenlooper on Thursday issued an executive order to quarantine and destroy any marijuana or its derivative products that contain pesticides not approved for use on cannabis. It could have a profound- and expensive-impact on the billion-dollar industry. [continues 1024 words]
An Executive Order Says Such Marijuana Should Be Destroyed. Gov. John Hickenlooper on Thursday issued an executive order telling state agencies that any marijuana grown with unapproved pesticides is a threat to public safety and should be removed from commerce and destroyed. The order is Hickenlooper's first word on a months-old controversy over pesticide use to grow cannabis and a more aggressive approach than the half-dozen recalls by Denver heath officials have put on thousands of contaminated products, some of it later allowed back into commerce. [continues 602 words]
Prosecutors Adamant That Budget Amendment Doesn't Block Their Case Against Colorado Attorney Federal prosecutors say a Colorado attorney charged in connection with major raids on state-licensed medical marijuana businesses is not protected by a new law that tells the feds to back off. Attorney David Furtado was one of four men charged after sweeping raids two years ago targeting the VIP Cannabis dispensary and related businesses. The men were ultimately indicted on charges of money laundering and trying to deposit money from an illegal enterprise into a bank account. [continues 407 words]
Marijuana is all the rage these days. Everybody is saying it's going to be a major campaign issue in 2016, as citizens in many states contemplate initiatives and begin to collect signatures to legalize medical and/or recreational cannabis. Every presidential candidate is being grilled about it, and each has a different take. On the Republican side Rand Paul supports medical marijuana, access to banking services and the right for states to make their own choices. Donald Trump, Marco Rubio, Ben Carson and Lindsey Graham would be open to legalizing medical but not recreational marijuana. Jeb Bush, John Kasich and Rick Santorum oppose legalization of any kind, while Carly Fiorina stops at anything beyond decriminalization. [continues 653 words]
Dear Stoner: What's the weirdest way to consume cannabis? Joe Blow Dear Joe: The human body has a few orifices, but not all of them are meant to be an entry point for marijuana consumption. Snorting kief like cocaine won't do anything but make you feel like an idiot and possibly give you a nosebleed, so don't just shove pot anywhere and hope for the best. Obviously, inhaling and ingesting are the two most traditional ways to indulge, but there are other off-the-beaten-path methods. Most of these are done in the name of medicine, however, and not just as bizarre attempts at getting high. [continues 335 words]
The State Shows a Dip for Recreational and Medical Pot Shops. Monthly recreational cannabis sales in Colorado topped $50 million for the fourth consecutive month in September Published: Nov 11, 2015, 2:35 pm Comments (3) By Ricardo Baca, The Cannabist Staff After four consecutive months of growth, medical and recreational cannabis sales in Colorado saw a downturn in September, according to new data released by the state's Department of Revenue this week. But is the dip in monthly marijuana sales the result of fewer purchases during an off-season month, or was the system thrown out of whack because of the Sept. 16 pot tax holiday that alleviated some of the sales and excise taxes normally tacked onto cannabis purchases in the state? [continues 515 words]
Cheap gas, legit grass Last week, Denver-based medical marijuana company Native Roots invited the Independent to preview one of its two local combination gas station/dispensaries, named Gas & Grass. Located at Academy Boulevard and Galley Road, the business is bringing in new customers with an alluring offer: cheap gas. Chief compliance executive Dave Cuesta says those who have registered Native Roots as their caregiver will get 15 cents off every gallon of gas they buy at a Gas & Grass location. If someone who isn't a patient has made a purchase from the dispensary side of Native Roots, they'll get 5 cents off per gallon. And anyone who newly registers Native Roots as their caregiver will get a free tank of gas. [continues 378 words]
With Colorado's groundbreaking decision to legalize marijuana came a wave of unintended consequences, namely an increase in the number of children who were taken to emergency rooms with marijuana-related health concerns as the result of unintentional ingestion. I am encouraged by the Colorado Marijuana Enforcement Division's (MED) newly announced regulations regarding medical and recreational marijuana. By October 2016, edibles must be packaged in child-resistant packaging, and will include an easily identifiable universal symbol and warning to "keep out of the reach of children." Hopefully this will help parents, caregivers and law enforcement to prevent unintentional ingestion. We won't know how effective these new provisions are until next year, but we are encouraged by the work of policy makers in taking a positive step forward. John Faught, Denver The writer is president and CEO of The Kempe Foundation. [end]
Denver's marijuana regulators are asking the City Council to expand rules that would bar any new players from entering the state's largest market. For two years, a city moratorium aimed at controlling industry growth has allowed only existing medical marijuana businesses to open recreational dispensaries, grow houses or edible manufacturers. That's set to expire Jan. 1, a prospect that has had eager entrepreneurs and investors lining up. But new proposals submitted Tuesday by Denver's marijuana policy office would extend the moratorium two more years. And a newly proposed moratorium would bar any new applications for medical marijuana business licenses during the same period. [continues 577 words]
A Spokesman Says the City Might Offer an Event About Management Again. Denver's inaugural foray into cannabis event programming this week was deemed such a success that "it's definitely a possibility that we'll do it again," said Dan Rowland, spokesman for the city's Office of Marijuana Policy. The city's Marijuana Management Symposium, the first government organized cannabis event of its kind, brought 220 paid attendees and an additional 110 presenters and staff members to the Colorado Convention Center on Thursday and Friday, according to organizers. The event targeted "anyone who is or will be responsible for implementing marijuana policies and regulations at the local and state levels." [continues 394 words]
Inside Colorado
