Colorado: End the ‘war on patients’ access to marijuana

[Tripsick]

something about the rise in crime and MMJ... i guess we will find out soon enough.

DENVER - Police departments are reporting a "significant increase" in home invasion robberies near medical marijuana dispensary stores, according to Colorado Attorney General John Suthers.

He says he's been hearing from law enforcement officers –who feel like their hands are tied.

Attorney General Suthers says the rise in crime may prompt state lawmakers to take a closer look at the amendment that legalized medical marijuana nine years ago, to see if there is additional legislation that could be passed to give the state more control over the blooming marijuana business.

"Ultimately, the question is, is this what the voters wanted, do they want to do something about it, do they want their state legislature to do something about it," said Attorney General Suthers.

But to tighten up the current law, the legislature may have to pass an amendment to the constitutional amendment that gave Coloradoans the right to use, grow, and sell medical marijuana.

That means the voters would have the final say.

Still, a medical marijuana user and caregiver we spoke to says more state control isn't the answer. He says Colorado should legalize pot.

Then criminals wouldn't have to break into homes and businesses to get it.

http://www.kdvr.com/news/kdvr-crime-marijuana-101309,0,3838875.story

if they can figure away to take the money out of it that should make it safe for everyone..
That would be full legalization

 

[pikes peak 69]

Back in July the State lied about the average age of patients to try and sway the board to implement rules and limit caregivers. What if LEO is now doing that to get public interest in changing our rights.
Where are the statistics?
I'm just saying,
pp69

 

[Tripsick]

Cant wait to see what type of amendment they would come up with to "protect" us...

 

[cobcoop]

to see if there is additional legislation that could be passed to give the state more control ($$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$) over the blooming marijuana business.

That Fox 'report' was worse than a high school hand job, a worthless piece of fluff bullshit. The AG didn't even propose what type of legislation would prevent criminals (people who rob people) from perpetrating crime (robbing people). They want to make it harder (drive it back underground) for people to get marijuana, and that will stop all the crime???

 

[Surrender]

more good news from Boulder

more good news from Boulder

http://www.dailycamera.com/news/ci_13569738

Boulder DA dismisses charges against medical marijuana patient
Erica Meltzer
Posted: 10/15/2009 04:34:28 PM MDT

Boulder County District Attorney Stan Garnett dropped charges against a Nederland woman who faced felony drug charges stemming from her possession of marijuana for medical purposes.

Sherri Versfelt was arrested in July 2008 after police raided her home and found 50 marijuana plants. She had an expired medical marijuana registry card belonging to another patient and a previous diagnosis of a "severe debilitating medical condition" related to surgery as a teenager to remove a massive growth from her abdomen.

Versfelt spent 27 days in jail because she did not have the money to post bond. She was set to go to trial next week on felony charges of cultivation of marijuana, possession with intent to distribute, possession of 8 ounces or more of marijuana, and possession of oxycodone. The charges carry a maximum penalty of six years in prison.

Amendment 20, approved by Colorado voters in 2000, allows patients and caregivers to have 2 ounces of marijuana or six plants for medical use, but the law also allows an "affirmative defense" that a defendant felt a larger amount was necessary to treat his or her medical condition.

That was the defense used successfully by Jason Lauve, a Louisville man who was acquitted of felony drug possession charges this summer.

Robert J. Corry Jr., the Denver attorney who represented Lauve and Versfelt, wrote a guest commentary that appeared in Thursday's Camera asking why Garnett was taking the case to trial when Garnett had said medical marijuana prosecution was his lowest priority.

Prosecutors filed a motion Thursday asking that all charges be dismissed.

Garnett said he was not responding to the publicity around the case but to a judge's decision Wednesday that Versfelt could present a medical marijuana defense -- even though she obtained her own medical marijuana card after she was arrested, not before.

Garnett said he inherited the case, along with thousands of other felony cases, from his predecessor, Mary Lacy, and that in each case, prosecutors need to assess the particulars before making a decision about whether to proceed.

After reviewing it, Garnett said he felt the courts should rule on whether a medical marijuana card could be obtained after the fact.

"I had told the deputy (district attorney) that if the judge ruled she could present the medical marijuana defense, we should drop the charges," he said Thursday evening. "So that's what we did."

Corry said he was happy the charges were dropped.

"This is a victory for the taxpayers of Boulder County, for the voters of Colorado and for medical marijuana," he said.

 

[BiG H3rB Tr3E]

Back in July the State lied about the average age of patients to try and sway the board to implement rules and limit caregivers. What if LEO is now doing that to get public interest in changing our rights.
Where are the statistics?
I'm just saying,
pp69

its bullshit lies. i wouldnt trust their statstics regardless, numbers are too easily doctored. why would houses NEAR dispenaries get robbed. makes no sense. either the dispensary is getting robbed, or patients coming out of dispensary, or employees or owners. to say random people are getting ripped off because a dispensary moved into town is comptlete and utter bullshit. dont let them sway you.i press you patients to goto these news confreses and confront these assholes and demand proof if they are so bold to make such accuasations into closing shops down

 

[Tripsick]

Yeah they should bitch about a walgreens on every corner. They have more addictive drugs and make far more money..

 

[Marshmello]

its bullshit lies.
why would houses NEAR dispenaries get robbed. makes no sense.

 

[Tripsick]

{Boulder, CO} -- On Thursday, Boulder County District Attorney Stan Garnett
dropped the charges against 35-year-old pregnant caregiver, Sherri Versfelt
of Nederland, CO, who had been scheduled for a jury trial next week. Sherri
had been charged with felony marijuana crimes stemming from a raid on her
house in July 2008. Sherri was serving as the caregiver for a patient with
a debilitating medical condition.

Sherri's case was set to go to trial Monday in Boulder District Court. Rob
Corry, Sherri's attorney, had a guest commentary printed in Thursday's
Boulder Daily Camera that discussed the atrocities of her case.


The Cannabis Therapy Institute posted a picture of her on their website on
Wednesday night, calling the persecution of the pregnant caregiver a "Witch
Hunt" and rallying supporters to her trial.


The D.A. says that the prospects of bad publicity and public outrage were
not the reasons he dropped the charges, but prosecuting a pregnant woman
would have arguably been the biggest PR mistake the D.A.'s office had made
since the case of Jason Lauve. Jason was the D.A.'s last medical marijuana
prosecution, which resulted in a resounding defeat for the D.A. when Jason
was acquitted of all charges. Jason participated in most of his trial in a
wheelchair and received great sympathy from his jury. A photo of him
receiving a hug by one of his jurors was on the front page of the Boulder
Daily Camera the next day and photos of him outside the courthouse with 34
ounces of medicine spread across the Internet.


The D.A. was widely criticized for wasting taxpayer resources on the Lauve
prosecution. To appease public opinion after Jason's victory, Garnett
campaigned in editorials and public meetings to become known as the "the
most progressive District Attorney in the state on the issue of medical
marijuana." Recently, Garnett pledged to the Boulder County Commissioners
that he was going to use "as little of my office's resources in prosecution
of marijuana cases as we can."


The Cannabis Therapy Institute is calling the dismissal of Sherri's charges
a guarded victory for all Colorado patients. Despite Garnett's assurances
that he was not waging a war on patients, the prosecution of Sherri
Versfelt continued for over a year and wasted even more thousands of
taxpayer dollars.

"I hope that Stan Garnett continues to uphold the pledge he made after my
acquittal that he wouldn't prosecute any more patients or dispensaries,"
says Jason Lauve, former medical marijuana defendant. "Sherri's prosecution
went on for far too long. I hope that this teaches police and prosecutors
to have more respect for patients' Constitutional rights and to keep them
out of the court to begin with."

Rob Corry is on a string of victories this week with medical marijuana
patients. On Tuesday, he liberated almost half a pound of medicinal
cannabis from the Colorado Springs Police Department on behalf of his
client, patient Stephan Thomas, who had the charges against him dropped as
well

 

[HossCartwright]

Park County sheriff didn't get the memo:

So they execute 6 warrants, find 4 grows and only get to take the loot from 1 house, due to what sounds like a paperwork error on the grower's part.

But with those numbers (200+ per house) I'm kinda surprised the feds didn't step in...

And what about the 2 houses that didn't have anything going on?

here's another take on it:

I can't believe the papers are giving out addresses. That's such a blatant violation of privacy. Now if they would just give up the contact info of the "confidential informant" we could set things straight.

 

[RockyMountainHi]

Now if they would just give up the contact info of the "confidential informant" we could set things straight.

I alwasy did like them Cartwright boys!

 

[HossCartwright]

 

[Surrender]

DEA missed the memo too

DEA agents execute 'number of warrants' around Fort Collins


Federal agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration served "a number" of search warrants in the Fort Collins area on Tuesday, including one at a home near Taft Hill Road.

At that home, a two-story raised ranch at [redacted], a DEA agent on Tuesday morning laid out about 20 marijuana plants, including some seedlings, on the driveway and was taking pictures. He declined to speak with a Coloradoan reporter and referred questions to a DEA spokesman in Denver.

That spokesman, Mike Turner, declined to release information about the investigation. He said the DEA had executed "a number" of federal search warrants in the Fort Collins area on Tuesday.

"We just can't release any more information about it at this time," Turner said.

According to county property records, the house is owned by a company called Omni Green LLC. A man living at the same home where Omni Green is registered declined to comment when contacted by a reporter.

"I don't have any comments for you today, man," he said.

apparently they raided Way to Grow in FTC yesterday too.

 

[guest123]

DEA missed the memo too

Another article about the same case states "There is no indication the operation involved medical marijuana"

 

[cobcoop]

Fuckin pansies

The Greeley City Council on Tuesday night snuffed medical marijuana dispensaries, voting 6-1 on an ordinance that bans the facilities in the city.

About a dozen people spoke during the public hearing, with most asking that the council allow, not prohibit, dispensaries. Two speakers each presented petitions containing 230 and 143 signatures of city residents who they said support medical marijuana dispensaries in Greeley.

Several people hoping to open dispensaries, allowed by Amendment 20 passed by voters nine years ago, urged the council to grant what they consider responsible operations that serve patients in need.

Jeri Shepherd, a Greeley resident who represents the advocacy group Sensible Colorado, said nobody has ever overdosed on marijuana. She said dispensaries are a humane and cost-effective approach to delivering safe medical therapy.

“I think we should talk about the fact and not the fear,” she said. “There are people who want to sell fear to us.”

Greeley resident Dave Muñoz said he's seen friends go to jail or die from drug abuse.

“It's just terrible,” he said of marijuana. “It's just a gateway drug. They can call it what they want. I would be against it because it does kill and it will take a toll on this city. If you pass it, I would say tax it to the max.”

Nicole Marquez of Greeley, one of the petitioners, said dispensaries would provide needed new businesses in Greeley, as well as keep local patients from having to drive 20 miles outside the city to obtain medical marijuana.

A few speakers pointed out that dispensaries would bring additional tax revenue to the cash-strapped city.

Rich Present said he serves 150 medical marijuana patients from Greeley each week at his dispensary in Loveland. He said his business, which is expanding to a dozen locations across the state, generates $6,700 a month in sales taxes.

“We're throwing tax dollars right directly into those communities,” Present said.

Greeley joins Colorado cities including Broomfield and Superior with an outright ban, and the Evans City Council is leaning in that direction. Several cities in northern Colorado allow the outlets, including Fort Collins, Loveland, Windsor and Garden City.

Council members expressed concern about public safety, with Ed Phillipsen calling “ridiculous” advocates' arguments that medical marijuana has no harmful side effects and hasn't caused deaths. Also, he said, it lacks dosage controls because it's not regulated as a prescription drug.

Mayor Ed Clark took issue with what he called minimal dispensary operator requirements. “It means anyone (18 or older) who knows how to water a seed and dry it … can take care of people with severe illnesses.”

Councilman Carrol Martin cast the dissenting vote. He said the city opens the door to bigger problems without highly regulated dispensaries.

“If we don't take up and try to control it, then it's not going to be controlled,” Martin said. “They're going to dispense it right out of their car, and there's nothing we can do about it.”

On a tandem matter, the council unanimously approved an ordinance that allows the city to collect sales tax on medical marijuana delivered to patients in the city.

One audience member said he considered it “kind of strange” and hypocritical that the city would ban dispensaries but collect sales tax on drug deliveries.

Drew McNeil, who wants to open a Greeley dispensary, said it will be hard for Greeley to keep track of deliveries and collect the sales tax. “Why worry about following delivery guys from place to place?”

Councilman Don Feldhaus agreed the two ordinances may appear hypocritical, and went on to say he empathizes with patients who get ailment relief from the drug.

But “until the state of Colorado truly gets its act together and develops some rules and regulations around this, I believe it's inappropriate for us to approve a dispensary kind of environment,” he said.

Other council members echoed that sentiment, saying they can't support the facilities without state rules on distribution and growth of medical marijuana.

With the passage of the ordinances, the council will vote on Nov. 3 to cancel the moratorium it placed on the issue of dispensaries.

The Greeley ban would not prohibit licensed medical marijuana patients from cultivating up to six marijuana plants for personal use.

 

[cobcoop]

Oh look at what was in todays paper, those fucking puritans are so worried about dispensary crime...

Fort Collins police searching for armed man suspected of robbing Good Day Pharmacy

 

[Tripsick]

Oh look at what was in todays paper, those fucking puritans are so worried about dispensary crime...

Fort Collins police searching for armed man suspected of robbing Good Day Pharmacy

I personally think Pharmacies, Banks, and Liquor stores are all equally targets of crime.

 

[SELFHEMPLOYED]

Look what else happened today:
http://www.coloradoan.com/article/2...cute--number-of-warrants--around-Fort-Collins

Fort Collins had quite a few federal raids happen yesterday. Just when we thought they were going to leave mmj alone

 

[cobcoop]

Some more interesting articles. I'm all about the buy colorado!
http://blogs.westword.com/latestword/2009/10/medical-marijuana_dispensaries.php
And this... more fanning the flames of ignorance and intolerance.
http://www.denverpost.com/ci_13605814

I called the attorney general's office about that and asked for any statistics they had, and they said they didn't have any.

ha, fucking classic!

 

[Bud Spleefman]

Look what else happened today:
http://www.coloradoan.com/article/2...cute--number-of-warrants--around-Fort-Collins

Fort Collins had quite a few federal raids happen yesterday. Just when we thought they were going to leave mmj alone

WTF?!!!! I thought the Feds were supposed to back off? All I can think of, is with only 20 plants, they must have been watching these people for some other reason. And already had the warrant. 20 plants is NOT FEDERAL. Shit, those guys in La Porte who got caught with 1300 plants didn't even go Federal.

I am less than happy when I realize that people are coming to our state to open dispensaries from other states. I saw Dr. Reefer is from Nevada, and I know there is a CannaMed in California. The big companies will ruin it for the local ones. Soon they'll be selling weed at WalMart!