Colorado’s Governor Signs Medical Marijuana Regulations
Earlier this week, Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter (D) signed two bills that will regulate the state’s booming medical marijuana industry and bring definitive legal status to about half of Colorado’s estimated 1,100 dispensaries.
The new law will make Colorado home to the largest number of state-licensed dispensaries anywhere in the United States. A state-regulated medical marijuana program is up and running in New Mexico and similar programs will soon be operational in Rhode Island, Maine, New Jersey, and Washington, D.C. — but the number of sanctioned dispensaries to be allowed in each of those states is fewer than 10. Colorado’s law will authorize hundreds, and potentially more if future demand increases.
The Centennial State now has the opportunity to set a national example for how to oversee and regulate a large, orderly, and well-functioning medical marijuana industry. And while the country keeps its eye on California to see if that state’s voters decide to lift marijuana prohibition entirely this November, Colorado seems increasingly poised to take that next crucial step as well. A Rasmussen telephone poll released May 15 showed that 49 percent of likely Colorado voters support taxing and regulating marijuana like alcohol, with an additional 13 percent still undecided.
Tagged with: Bill Ritter and Colorado and dispensaries and marijuana regulation and Rasmussen by the author
35 comments
When will the fight for marijuana take up the issue of hemp being a source of fuel and the oil spill? Common guys, this is the one issue that could get Conservatives and Dems on the same page as us. Please trust me when I say that this issue could be the front issue to put legalization in the thoughts of the Prohib’s
@JJ – hey man, I replied to one of your previous posts and I see you still pushing for the oil issue. As much as it makes sense, it doesn’t seem like a valid argument to most politicians. As you well know we also have a major problem with world deforestation, the amount of trees cut down daily covers an area as big as NYC. All products created from tree fibers can also be created from hemp fibers, but once again we don’t see the government jumping all over it.
Oil industry and paper industry both make huge contributions to political campaigns to make sure they can continue their dirty business.
We need to sponsor our own politicians. Hopefully people who are now making money from medicinal marijuana can make that next push and promote somebody from within our ranks.
We need to replace politicians who are currently benefiting from these destructive to the nature industries and replace them with more eco friendly folks who understand the role of hemp oil, hemp paper and other hemp products on the US and global markets.
Free The Weed. Free The People. Save The World.
hey mike,
these 2 bills are not good for the state. i am a caregiver in colorado so i kinda know what i am talking about. these bills were heavily, heavily influenced by law enforcement and NO info/advice from patients and caregivers was taken. 8 out of 10 caregivers or dispensaries will agree with me. there are going to be fees for state and local licensing somewhere around $7000 to $18,000 yearly. it’s still all yet to be determined. HB1284 will shut down at least 40% of the dispensaries and it’s probably going to be more like 50%. this is not good news. the department of revenue, not the department of health will now have total control of this whole industry. sen. romer(D) has many times over claimed that auditors with guns will visit said dispensaries whenever they want. there is now a patient cap of 5 per caregiver. i have 12 patients, which 7 do i tell to beat it? i mean i could go on and on. these 2 bills are riddled with problems. just saying.
So, when do we get on the ballot in Colorado?
if ya don’t believe me check out this link. this whole thing is bullshit.
http://www.krextv.com//index.php/site/article/marijuana_dispensary_calls_it_quits_over_new_regulations/rex779307/
This seems like a step backwards shutting so many dispensaries down in Colorado. The same exact outcome has happened in L.A. and the rest of California. I’ll bet the black market is very pleased over this and your right folks, November is going to be critical for support from elected officials. All eyes are on these two States in particular and their outcomes will definitely influence the rest of the Nation for their progress and more importantly acceptance in the way of, “How to make MJ programs work for everyone involve in other States.”
with yer reference to the black market i know a lot of heads going back underground and patients are the ones who are going to feel it the most. the consensus seems to be that with up to 50% of the store fronts closing that medicine with be much more limited and the prices will go back up when they have been steadily falling for months now.
i wonder if these arguments that we present are relevant to most politicians. The oil spill is absolutely ridiculous and is effecting the gulf shore states worse then you can imagine bringing marijuana or hemp as a viable oil substitute is not going to help the oil spill or the people of Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, or Florida. This could be used after the disaster has ended but not now. Medical Marijuana laws are going to get worse because the fact is that people who start up these shops send marijuana to other states, it is a fact. It is not all of the dispensaries or care givers doing this but because you can’t stop it under current laws and bi laws then the politicians have to make these laws stricter then what they already are.
I’m ranting and maybe I’m even wrong, and I hope I am, but with my current ratio of being right and wrong odds are I am right, unfortunately
I am also a caregiver in Colorado and I have to tell 19 patients that they have to go down to the local drug dealer to get their meds now. What kind of bullshit is that?
This new bill does NOTHING for the patients and caregivers of colorado and only helps the large ‘centers’ as they are now called.
THIS BILL HAS PISSED ALL OVER THE COLORADO VOTER APPROVED AMENDMENT 20
I just recieved a call today from a center that is now that has threatened me because I believe that patients shouldnt have to pay street prices. If you charge more than the street for product that isnt any better well my friend you are just a drug dealer.
THANKS ALOT NATURES MEDICENE OF GRAND JUNCTION COLORADO
DUSTY YOU ARE A GREEDY SOB
THANKS ALOT FOR TAKING ADVANTAGE OF PEOPLE ON FIXED INCOMES
If you support the rights of mmj patients you WILL NOT support these two bills, UNLESS OF COURSE YOU ARE A HIPPOCRIT.
@Bushman
AGREED!!!
COMPLETE BULLSHIT FOR COLORADO PATIENTS !!!
fuck yeah!
It may look good on the outside but, LE is doing it damnedest to keep thier milk teet and drive out any good that may come from legaization.
Fuck government and all this corruption , this world is run by legalized criminals.
This is exactly what I said would happen. The cops are the ones that want to run the dispensaries. The task force’s relatives and politicians relatives and the already wealthy will be the ones selected. Not you or me or our neighbors. The only way we will ever be free is to LEGALIZE. I cannot go anywhere as it is without the task force watching. I have been raided. I wear pro cannabis and legalization shirts EVERY day, EVERY where. I think task force should be jailed for breathing the same air as me. I have no respect for thieves and lying fucking rats. I am proud of the fact that they hate me and consider me their enemy. My problem with that is i have nothing but respect for the street cops and detectives that work real crimes. It is the gangsters with badges that piss me off. Our town was hit with a burglery spree not long ago and guess what, No arrests have been made. I am still waiting for my property to come back from the police. They know who took my stuff. But the assholes would rather trail me like a dog because I SMOKE CANNABIS. I showed 5 cops my new ATTITUDE shirt just last week. I do have the money to move from Mn. but the schools are the best I have ever seen. I have a child that has special needs and I stay for that reason. I qualify for med mj in any legal state. OOPS, sorry I get worked up and off track but my point is, As long as there is a single law against cannabis we will be law breakers. The best we can get is to make it like alcahol. I would gladly pay a fee of 50 to 100 a year to grow my own because I would rather grow than buy, from anyone. I do not support the idea of someone selling me anything that I can grow myself. I have a small garden out back with veggies to help cut costs as it is already. Maybe we should outlaw growing maters and see how many regular Americans would become instant outlaws. LEGALIZE. Overgrow big brother. Now we may not have a planet that may not recover from mans greed. But that seems to be ok as long as cannabis is against the law.
“We Don’t Smoke Marijuana In Muskogee,” by the Hag
Rick Seymour writes: Medical Marijuana Education is NOT enough, but education is critically important to
change the minds of those who have preset, incorrect facts established
about Medical Marijuana or MMJ. Recreational use of Marijuana or MJ, is a whole different issue but the
medical aspect is by far more important especially when you know that
HEMP OIL is a cure for many illnesses like breast cancer, brain tumors,
skin cancer and the list goes on and on in fact, I’d like someone to
tell me an ailment hemp oil from the plant itself and NOT the seeds,
doesn’t cure. The word, “CURE,” used in Aspen, CO, this week would certainly
bring about many to sorrow if they understood the true healing power of
hemp oil and how it would save your own family members, which puts the
issue on a personal basis with everyone. My own Father didn’t have to
die of cancer, my step daughter could be healed of her diabetic ulcer,
(Skin sores that can result in amputation of limbs,) and what about your
family? That’s what we’re fighting for, not some vague argument some
where across the globe. Personalize what you know about the healing
properties of hemp oil and smoked MJ and take that to your Senators and
Congressmen. If government leaders turn a deaf ear to you, then they’ve
condemned many very sick people to death even after the documented proof. If that fact doesn’t move
you to action in your own personal life, I don’t know anything that will
make you take action folks.
Get the facts, know and believe what your talking about for medical
legalization of MJ and strengthen your own convictions, seeing is believing
and to help readers I wrote this short book that has evidence beyond
question.
“MEDICAL MARIJUANA ACTIVIST COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT RESOURCES,”
Co-authored by Rick Seymour & Rick Simpson at: http://www.luludotcom. The
facts are their for you as a reference guide with the evidence presented
by Doctors, Engineers and Scientist, many of which provide MMJ at no
cost to the terminally ill and have sacrificed their lives to the cause.
“I will never deny factual truth that can save lives, today!”
Rick Seymour
DEA AGENT Retired 1977-1983
Well, then I guess that I will move away from America. I dont want to be held responsible by the other 95% of the country for destroying this earth. AND THOSE THAT BELIEVE WE JUST DID NOT DESTROY OUR EARTH ARE NO NOTHING BIGGETS THAT ARE SO STUPID THEY THINK NOTHING CAN BADLY HAPPEN TO THEM. PLAIN. SIMPLE. I THINK I AM GOING TO START MY OWN SITE FOR LEGALIZING SINCE MPP, NORML, AND DRUGWARCOALITION.COM DONT WANT TO HELP THIS FIGHT. IF POLITICIANS WONT STAND UP AND STOP OIL, THEN AMERICA IS DOOMED. AND I DONT WANT NO PART OF THAT SHIT.
Tell your friends and turn out the VOTE (but they’ve got to register first!):
CALIFORNIA citizens can register to vote at
https://www.sos.ca.gov/nvrc/fedform/ Just fill out the form and mail it in!
Registration for the November 2, 2010 election appears to be open until October 17, 2010.
COLRADO citizens can register to vote at http://www.sos.state.co.us/pubs/elections/ . There’s a link in the “Voter Information” section. Registration for the November 2, 2010 election appears to be open until October 1, 2010.
Click on the link and register TODAY so you can vote in November!
The hemp industry has its own, full-time lobbyist in Washington, DC. Getting 218 Congressmen to say yes to hemp ain’t easy, or it would have already happened. Most likely, hemp will ride the coat tails of MJ being legal for personal use.
Rick Simpson has proven that hemp essential oil is the number one cure all… watch his video “Run from the Cure”. His site http://phoenixtears.ca is powerful. Isn’t it curious that the NIH as in US Government was issued a patent on cannabinoids in 2003? The medicinal benefits are listed in the patent! Patent #6,630,507 Pathetic non-leaders!
About a year ago the poll #s in CA were at 56% now they are at 49% for legalization. The corporations own America, they own 90% of the media. They think legalization will hurt the bottom line, so they will use every trick they know to stop CA from legalizing it. Simple as that, sad but true! This is a true David and Goliath story.
CO is no different than CA, we are all owned. White Black Brown bought and paid for.
Well I’ll be a monkey’s uncle, Hello #18 Howard J. Wooldridge, distinguished member of L.E.A.P., Law Enforcement Against Prohibition!
I lived in Boulder last year and it was referred to as the, “Republic of Boulder,” meaning it’s law makers and police were on a little bit of an independent track with MJ and many other issues, they even made nudity within the city limits OK! That’s how powerful a majority vote can be and until the rest of America catches on to that mind set of voting for what you really want and in great numbers, MJ is going to be illegal and the big companies will always rule just like #20 suggested so depressingly.
I don’t know where you get off painting this in a positive light. Bill Ritter admitted that he thought the new laws would be challenged in court. He knowingly signed a bill into law that violates the state constitution.
He has created an environment for corruption. Now any city or county can arbitrarily kick a dispensary out and just leave their “friends” in place to provide them with kickbacks. What the fuck is that?
I’ll tell you what that is. This bill will cause the sort of corruption that “they” want you to think medical marijuana causes. They want to prove that crime goes up when you legalize even just medical use. This will provide wonderful fuel for their war against the citizens of the united states.
well its simple as to why this is being cast in a positive light, the Pro=legalization movement is starting to be compramized by the rich and elite of this country. we need to follow in the footsteps of the colorado voters and just one issue vote every person for legalization until the other politicians see whats going on…only problem is, most people going into or already in politics need high salaries, which they dont get, so they take bribes, payoffs, etc etc etc
The people of Colorado need to pass an ammendment so that this BS ‘law’ is destroyed.. RISE UP AND REBEL COLORADO….
REBEL………..REBEL…. REBEL…………
I AGREE WITH NUMBER 20.. We only ‘think’ we are free…
the cops harrassed me the other day…. and tried to search my home, WITHOUT A WARRANT… f#ck cops… PIGS….
Dear Mike Meno, (Our above columnist/reporter/journalist.)
Fine journalism work here Mike. I just wanted to interject a thought on many of the comments from readers here and many of the past issues. There’s an over overwhelmingly, “WHY,” questions in a lot of reader’s minds for all the issues discussed. Personally I think most long timers here at MPP know the answers to most of the, “WHY,” questions but I’m sensing from readers a very acute sense of frustration, anger and dismay for wanting to know the reasons behind every bill, law and legislative work that affects the MPP reader audience here. I could write many books on, “WHY,” we’re made to abide the laws governing MJ but there’s a ton of them on the market already.
My point to this ramble of words is to suggest more of a slant on the, “WHY,” for readers in every blog report to help educate and turn the focus of, “Who’s to blame and why,” so readers can take action on they’re own or take the suggestive action from MPP is MPP chose to do so. Nothing negative or bad here, just wanted to suggest something to give readers a chance to, “Do Something,” that would help relieve their anger for so many injustices to supporters of MJ legalization medicinal and personal use. I just don’t think many people know what to do or how to take action without being scared of being busted.
trust me dude, I have been working double time on emailing all my senators, congressmen, and even Obama and his Vice President. They dont listen. I wrote them asking why we are still fighting in wars, still helping foriegn countries financially, etc etc, when we as Americans have the oil spill that will, as I said before, will have a major effect on Americans, I think one that will be catastrophic to the pretty much all living things on this earth. they wrote back saying I was basically blowing things out of the water and taking it out of context. Well, mark my words people, this will either be the reason for the world going truly green, such as hemp fibers, fuel, etc, because they will have no choice, since the acid rain will kill our forrests, or this oil spill will make Americans public enemy number 1 and the rest of the world will cut us off first, then destroy us. OH, but thats just mallarkey. right? Just a bunch of bullshit. Watch this carefully. they will spin this into a fear bath, just like 9-11 and Congress will begin passing bills out of fear, spending more and more money (all the while they are getting pay raises) and making the public more poor then they already are.
Mike Meno & MPP,
JJ #27, just proved my point via my entry #26. There’s waning MJ activism as a result of hopelessness.
Well folks, I’ll tell you the whole truth, sometimes opposition wins out at the polls and during legislative efforts.
Better luck next time!
just wait for the eventual government/corporate takeover and monopilization.
@26
if you think the oil spill is bad just wait till we have another cat 4 or 5 hurricane push through the gulf in the next 3 months. oil and water may not mix but it is still a liquid and will not only be thrust onto the shores but picked up by the winds and be in the rain fall.
That is what we in Louisiana fear the most from this.
sorry @27 not @26 sorry Tennessee Activist
The power to regulate…is the power to destroy.
Anytime a democratic people must convince the government to stop enforcing unjust laws through mechanisms such as “tax and regulate”, that government has succeeded in extorting its citizens. We talk of MARIJUANA LEGALIZATION as a panacea, the end of a war, a freedom. Yet this freedom IS ALREADY OURS, simply because the “laws and regulations” that make possession or use of marijuana a punishable offence are indeed UNJUST laws. It is not “legalization” that will make cannabis free. Legalization implies the inherent right to tax and regulate, to govern the growth of a natural indigenous plant for which our bodies were designed to receive (see “cannabis receptors”), and to exact taxes from of the sick, or from the fruits of the earth and human labor, that was grown by ones own hands. Decriminalization, the repeal of those laws and loopholes in Federal Interstate Commerce administrators that unknowingly created a police state. Just give us back what you took, one hundred years ago, and let us go on about life. Already, citizens are giving up the right to grow their own cannabis in return for a highly regulated cannabis medicalization plan. Giving up the right to grow a plant to a seed in one’s own soil with ones own hands is a slippery slope that give the very ability to survive to a government. Imagine those sweet tomatoes in the garden being taxed. We may be willing to let the government extort money from us through taxation and legalization, but how many inherent human rights will we allow them to take, before we say, we have a DUTY to make things right?
cannabis.
food, clothing, shelter, medicine, fuel, and recreation.
Why is MPP promoting gov control of cannabis? This author states: “Earlier this week, Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter (D) signed two bills that will regulate the state’s booming medical marijuana industry and bring definitive legal status to about half of Colorado’s estimated 1,100 dispensaries…The Centennial State now has the opportunity to set a national example for how to oversee and regulate a large, orderly, and well-functioning medical marijuana industry.”
Guess what, since Colorado amended its Constitution to allow MMJ, the industry was orderly & well-functioning. In spite of increased population, during the last 10 years, CO crime decreased. Why did CO need to restrict access for patients, making it impossible for average people to earn a living in the med cannabis industry and put many operations out of business? Why? What was the problem? The problem was good access for patients, many people earning a good living in the industry, and successful businesses. So the gov stepped in, created a huge, new & unconstitutional bureaucracy. Costs going up, businesses closing & patients w/o access.
Why does MMP support this state of affairs? I’m so tired of people calling for cannabis to be “legalized” then taxed & regulated. It’s a plant. Why should we call for MORE gov intervention? Get the gov out of our lives. Don’t call for more & more gov. We don’t need to regulate cannabis like alcohol. The BATF, IRS, etc., patrol the hills looking for moonshine makers. Do we want that for cannabis too? NO! f*** that.
I no longer support medical cannabis & I certainly no longer support MMP – due to their obvious support of this damaging CO legislation.
Decriminalize cannabis. Get gov out of our lives.
[...] June, Colorado Governor Bill Ritter (D) signed legislation designed to regulate the state’s medical marijuana industry through a system of local and state [...]
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