Colorado-Medical-Marijuana-Blog

A recent proposal aimed at allowing people to be trained who work in the medical marijuana business has just cleared the Senate and will now make its way to the House for a second vote. The proposal’s intention is to train employees working in the medical marijuana business in Colorado in state regulations as well as how to spot fake medical marijuana cards. This training would be similar to training that already exists for the alcohol industry. The Senate vote, which was carried out at the end of March, was 24-11 in favor of providing responsible medical marijuana vendors. If the proposal should pass, local medical marijuana dispensaries will be allowed to designate their own trained employees and in exchange, could be given a break if for some reason they were to run afoul of state regulations.

As the rules and regulations regarding medical marijuana in Colorado are tweaked and refined, one very clear detail in Colorado state law stands out. It states that dispensaries in the state are not allowed to be located less than 1,000 feet from any school in the state. However, some shops have been allowed to remain open if local governments allow the shops to be closer to school buildings. As the federal government takes a closer look at these regulations, things are beginning to change. As part of an overall crackdown on drugs, the federal government is stepping in and tightening their grip on medical marijuana laws across the country. John Walsh, A U.S. Attorney located in Colorado, sent word last month to 22 medical marijuana dispensaries in the state to either move or be closed with it was determined they were located too close to school properties. This month, Walsh handed out 25 more warnings to medical marijuana dispensaries in Colorado to close because they are located too close to school properties. All dispensaries who received these warnings have been given 45 days to close or they will be faced with federal prosecution.

Medical marijuana patients in Colorado will have a new festival to attend this year as Colorado becomes the host of the World Cannabis Convention in May 2011. According to Kush Magazine editor, Michael Lerner, the World Cannabis Convention will be responsible for bringing millions of dollars of revenue to the state. Medical marijuana advocates from around the world are expected to attend the convention. Hundreds of booths will be set up and there is expected to be thousands of giveaways. Live concerts and a Hot Kush Girl contest will be hosted by ROOR. The resting lounge will include food, full bar and massage chairs. Guest speakers will include grow experts, industry leaders, advocates, attorneys and more. Organization leaders are expecting the World Cannabis Convention to experience a record turnout.

As the debate over Medicinal marijuana in Colorado rages on, many lawmakers have proposed regulations and Bills in an effort to regulate the booming Colorado cannabis industry. Many proponents, advocates, lobbyists and entrepreneurs argue strict regulation will squelch a legitimate industry that could possibly help mend a weak economy.   Colorado marijuana is, in fact, proving to be a legitimate business capable of providing enough jobs and tax revenue to benefit the economy. Unfortunately, illegitimate businesses, fly by night opportunists and underground protests have created a counterproductive element to the medical cannabis cause. Amendment 20 was originally intended to provide medicinal marijuana to legitimate patients via a caregiver. Now, according to the opposing view, there is a Colorado medical marijuana dispensary on every corner. Many opponents argue that the Amendment has been taken advantage of, thus creating a back door to pure legalization. Although this is not the intention, one can certainly acknowledge this perception. Bill 1284, for example, is the newest proposition up for vote in the Senate. Its main intent is to limit Colorado medical marijuana dispensary licenses as well as limit the amount of patients a caregiver can provide for.  Although this is a simplistic interpretation of Bill 1284, it is essentially an effort to slow the booming industry. Unfortunately, the industry will become more tightly regulated, whether Bill 1284 passes or not. Medicinal marijuana is certainly a legitimate industry providing a quality product to those in need. However, over exposure and an inversely proportional boom in highly visible dispensaries have soured public perception. Regulation is a necessary and inevitable consequence to every controversial industry, cannabis in Colorado is no different.

As a patient of medical cannabis, many wonder what the best methodology to acquire product is. Colorado medical marijuana caregivers and dispensaries both have benefit; it is just a matter of deciding what is best for the individual. Commonly, a medical marijuana dispensary is thought of as a “convenience store”; a good place to find variety (edibles, hardware), but will be slightly more expensive due to the retail nature of the store. Caregivers, on the other hand, can be thought of as a “bulk store”; less variety, but larger amounts can be purchased for a little less money. One should not think of the two as competing or dueling entities, rather different methods to provide proper service to the patient.

Medical marijuana growers in Colorado Springs were assaulted and robbed this week. The assailants reportedly physically abused the residents, shocked them with a stun gun, and stole their entire crop. Unfortunately, this is the exact type of crime medical marijuana opponents have been waiting for. This will only give new found momentum for restrictions on the industry as a whole. Although this robbery has nothing to do with medical benefit or revenue generation inherent to the Colorado medical marijuana industry, it will certainly raise eyebrows in the community. Increased crime rate is an argument opponents of medical marijuana have been citing since the industry’s inception. Instances such as this will only make that voice louder. One could argue that a convenience store owner is equally subject to the risk of assault and robbery. Although this is true, a crime committed against any medical marijuana dispensary, grower, or clinic will be perceived as new crime brought forth by the Colorado medical marijuana industry.

Medical marijuana in Colorado is a current hot topic. Arguments are made revolving mostly the legal and moral intricacies of the blooming medicinal marijuana industry. Lost in the raging debate is the precise and intricate science behind cannabis. For decades, breeders and growers have been perfecting the science of marijuana growing, thus providing the patient and connoisseur quality product. Those who are old enough to remember slang from the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s may recall terms such as “Acapulco Gold” and “Colombian Wacky”. These terms obviously referenced the breeding ground for a specific plant. Commonly, however, most plants were contaminated by seeds, providing a lower quality product. Then came the term “Sensemilla”, which commonly meant quality, but many do not know the true meaning behind the term. Sensemilla is Spanish for “seedless”. Modern product is commonly seedless, lush, and full, thanks to early pioneers of marijuana breeding. In order to understand the common form of cannabis (and subsequently medical marijuana), one must first understand the history and science behind the plant. Breeding history is just the first step in realizing the nature and science involved in medical marijuana. Stay tuned as cannabis breeding has a long history of scientific breeding culminating in a wide variety of product.

As lawmakers, business owners, and advocates battle over regulation of medicinal marijuana in Colorado, the public view becomes more skeptical. Current and future law notwithstanding, it is really the voting public at large who will decide the ultimate fate of Colorado medical marijuana. Due to all of the buzz and media attention drawn to the subject, it seems the public is beginning to question the integrity of the state of medicinal marijuana in Colorado. One does not have to look far to read message boards or website posts to feel the backlash of the current state of the industry. One of the common views is medical marijuana in Colorado is simply a farce in an effort to open the doors for recreational use. Attitudes such as this will invariably push the industry into a strict regulatory state that very well may completely dismantle the current state of Colorado medical marijuana dispensaries, caregivers, and patients alike. In contrast, proponents argue the legitimate medical benefit and make strong effort to make Colorado cannabis as obtainable as possible. Colorado medical marijuana dispensaries can also provide significant revenue opportunities for owners, growers, and (most importantly) state tax. Benefits of Colorado medical marijuana could very well outweigh the perceived moral dangers of the industry. It is up to advocates to convince an increasing skeptical public.