The number of businesses that sell marijuana has jumped in Colorado, where use of pot for medical reasons has been allowed since 2000. National Public Radio reports that a mix of confusing regulations and court rulings had kept its distribution in check until this year. Now pot stores are showing up in many neighborhoods — and there are calls for more regulation.
The Obama administration has said that busting medical marijuana operations will be low on its priority list. Nobody knows how many dispensaries there are in Colorado; the best guess is about 150. There have been efforts to regulate the state’s medical marijuana industry. The state health department wanted to limit the number of patients using medical pot that a vendor could supply. It planned to adopt a rule stating that a vendor must do more than just sell pot. The rule imagined them also performing caregiving services, like accompanying patients to the doctor. Nearly all of those efforts have been unsuccessful.
I think your best guess of 150 dispensaries is grossly exaggerated. Colorado should welcome the future, not fear it.
Yeah well with only 1,637 liquor stores I guess it makes sense to allow a couple thousand dope smoking and dealing spots maybe when this new generation finds marijuana and liquor boring we’ll just end the suffering of addiction by allowing meth clinics to open so you can buy your safe and legal methamphetamine. End the Drug War let people smoke crack and meth and pot and stay drunk and high on ecstasy! It will save everyone who’s fallen down and bumped their arm lately from serious pain bro.
Johnny law sounds like your a good ol boy. The people have spoken. Respect thier decision or move. Useless eater.
Seriously it’s this exact sort of fear mongoring that is making Americas youth challenge current drug laws.
Here’s a novel thought for you. YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO TELL ANOTHER PERSON THEY CAN’T USE PLANT.
Another thought. Why not take the money from the drug war and use to educate the people about some of he “real” dangers to drug use. Then let them use that brain of theirs to make their own opinions. Government shouldn’t be there to baby sit people.
You don’t see me at your door step tying to force you to to do anything….ever. Stay off our door step.
Pretty simple. You respect me and I’ll respect you. Further more I’ll stand up and fight for what YOU believe in because I’m American. I’d hope you’d do the same for me.
Cheers
Once again, I think the alarmist tone of the article seeks to exaggerate the claim of there being 150 cannabis dispensaries in Colorado. Even if there were, and they were spread out evenly, it would remain a Federal ‘low-priority’ and should be treated the same by the locals.
How many liquor stores are in Colorado ? In Denver ? How many convenience stores that sell cold beer, cigarettes, junk food, and candy ? How many gun stores are there in Colorado ? How many bars, taverns, hotels, and restaurants with full bars ??? By the way, I’ve heard of a few bank robberies lately in Colorado….should we prepare to clamp down on banks and have a moratorium on them ?
Yes, vendors should do more than just sell pot. They have to check and verify the doctor’s recommendation, they have to keep up many security features to dissuade robbers or burglars, they frequently have to grow the merchandise themselves that they supply to the patients…..they also have to keep an eye out for the ‘law’.
Set up a framework of regulations and them allow them where ever they wish to be. The start-up cost of such an operation should keep the number of applicants low; surely lower than liquor stores and liquor board license requests.
Don’t make a mountain out of a molehill, Colorado. Don’t let reactionary scare-tactics nip the bud of what could be an economic boon to your state.
Support Medical Cannabis Access
Support Leap.cc – Police Against Prohibition
Support MPP.org – MJ Lobby in Wash, DC
Barack Obama; Jan. 21, 2004:
“The war on drugs has been an utter failure. We need to rethink and decriminalize our marijuana laws…we need to rethink how we’re operating in the drug war. Currently, we are not doing a good job.”
I strongly suggest we listen to our Presidents remark made about: “The war on drugs has been an utter failure. We need to re-think & decriminalize our Marijuana laws…we need to re-think how we’re operating in the drug war. Currently we are NOT doing a good job.” Barak Obama, 1/21/2004 Tax the weed, lower the national debt, lower the alcohol-related highway death toll, open up the job market, lower the unemployment rate, put the Mexican drug cartels on notice, we will sell our own wares grown here, thank you… God Bless America and help put our US citizens back to work!!! -Smoke one for me…