After two tours in Iraq with the Army, a 30-year-old Montezuma County man has his own reasons for obtaining a medical marijuana card. As he attempts to re-acclimate to civilian life, he suffers pain in his foot, ears, and joints and collapsed discs in his back as well as post-traumatic stress disorder. He is officially classified as 140 percent disabled. "I used to be on 16 different medications from the VA (Veterans Affairs health care), and every one of them had bad side effects. Now I'm off all of them except sometimes I take a Valium," said the veteran. [continues 664 words]
The legalization of marijuana for medical purposes has opened up a whole new territory for law enforcement to enforce, and the boundaries aren't always clear. Montezuma County Sheriff Gerald Wallace and Cortez Police Chief Roy Lane said they are eager for the state to finish writing rules and regulations that will help them interpret and enforce the law. The state has until July 1, 2011. Even those with a medical marijuana card shouldn't be operating a car while they are high, Wallace said. [continues 863 words]
A dual system of legal and illegal marijuana in Colorado could have some unexpected consequences, but there are various points of view on what that will be. Montezuma County Sheriff Gerald Wallace calls the impact of legal medical marijuana on the illegal drug market "huge." "I just got back from a conference, and they're saying that robberies are increasing," Wallace said earlier this summer. "One county in a 10-day period had two running gun battles. They're robbing dispensaries. Organized crime is coming in and saying, 'You will buy from us.' It's like laundering illegal money. They bring in the illegal marijuana and force the dispensaries to sell it so it becomes legal." [continues 721 words]
Voters Won't Decide Medical Marijuana Issue in November Emotions ran high on both sides of the medical marijuana issue, as about 60 people attended a three-hour Cortez City Council meeting Tuesday night. The council unanimously extended a moratorium on issuing any new local licenses for medical marijuana centers and optional premises for cultivation facilities. The council also turned down, 2-5, a motion by Tom Butler to ask voters on the general election ballot whether to prohibit the operation of medical marijuana centers, optional premises for cultivation operations and medical marijuana-infused products manufacturers' licenses in the city. Councilors Butler and Betty Swank voted for the ballot question. Mayor Dan Porter and council members Matt Keefauver, Bob Archibeque, Donna Foster and Robert Rime opposed the ballot question. [continues 922 words]
