Denver's "Second Marijuana Bill"

DENVER - The highly anticipated "second marijuana bill" was formally unveiled at the Colorado State Capitol on Wednesday. The bill sponsored in part by Senator Chris Romer (D-Denver) and Rep. Tom Massey (R-Poncha Springs) would, among other things, put in place a "time-out" for new dispensaries statewide until July 1, 2011. "This establishes a set of ground rules," Sen. Romer explained on Wednesday afternoon.

While the bill is lengthy - 45 pages in all - it would primarily seek to change the way dispensaries operate in the state in the future. In addition to the "time-out," the bill would require most dispensaries to become non-profits licensed with the state, making them what Romer called health centers. Cities would also be able to ban "marijuana health centers" outright. It would also require the so-called health centers to grow the vast majority of its own marijuana, either on or offsite.

The bill comes on the heels of the state Senate's passage of SB 109. That bill defines what a doctor can and cannot do while writing recommendations for medical marijuana.

There are close to 20,000 people in the state who currently hold medical marijuana cards and at least that many who have applied with the state. In fact, two weeks ago on one day the Colorado Department of Health received more than 1,800 applications.

The latest bill would not limit the number of patients a "health center" could work with, something that had been feared during earlier discussions of the bill. If a caregiver chooses to not get licensed however, he or she would be limited to providing marijuana for a maximum of five patients.

This is an outrage!!! It is unconstitutional for them to make any changes to Amendment 20 without voter approval. We are so lucky in CO to have this as part of our state constitution, the only state. If I choose not to open a dispensary I can only have 5 patients!!! I provide my patients with free meds, an ounce a month. I do not want a dispensary, I want to be able to provide my patients with free meds. I would have to give up patients if this passes, they in turn would have to go to a dispensary to pay outrageous prices for their meds. People in CO please contact your state reps and tell them you disagree with this bill, and any changes need to be voted on by the people of CO.

Please also make the rest of the united states healthcare be forced non-profit too. It would only be fair right?

bs0 said:

Please also make the rest of the united states healthcare be forced non-profit too. It would only be fair right?

Click to expand...

OH SHIT

This amounts to the government telling us we can't run a legal business. When government refuses to recognize the Constitution, government becomes worthless.

Let the lawsuits commence. I'm guessing my investors will be the first to sue.

slappyjack said:

This amounts to the government telling us we can't run a legal business. When government refuses to recognize the Constitution, government becomes worthless.

Let the lawsuits commence. I'm guessing my investors will be the first to sue.

Click to expand...

Honestly, man, I wish more people knew what's going on. I'd be glad to start dealing along with other people to raise money to buy some PSA commercial slot times, and hopefully find some networks that would run them.

So many very smart people have no clue about weed. It's highly misunderstood. I think if people really knew about weed, this would be taken care of within a presidential term no problem.

I don't know how the government can run anti-marijuana ads and not consider it the same propaganda as the nazi vs jew propaganda done by Goebbels. I'm not trying to be one of those people that makes a very stretched analogy, but it's the same thing in principle.

Hmm.. no voter approval...

Naw... they'd never do anything in this country without voter approval.

They are on our side... let's legalize!

They are taking step now to insure they will be able to account for and tax most of the pot grown in CO in the future.

Originally Posted by bs0
Please also make the rest of the united states healthcare be forced non-profit too. It would only be fair right?

Click to expand...

It's really amazing that there not already!

total bs that chris romer guy really pisses me off but what do we expect from a former banker from jpmorgan

Just say no to incumbents, and yes to voting out anyone that gets in the way

I'd like to see a copy of this 45 page bill, anyone have a link?

crap

all that it needs now is the gov's sig and it passes I think. I bet it does pass too.

This bill is definitely written for big business and there is a link of it in the Legislation forum. This bill is bad news and can be seen here http://vvoice.vo.llnwd.net/e6/4395719.0.pdf . I have read this bill and if you want to be a dispensary "owner" if you can call it that you better not owe any taxes or even had a misdemeanor conviction. Good luck, doubt all those dispensary owners backing regulation are happy now that they cant make a "profit" and most likely wont even qualify to run one now. Give the politicians a inch and they try to take a million miles. Looks like the Colorado patients will have to get used to shitty commercial grown medicine now.

Kinda figured that regulation would happen, after all, most of us want this as it legitimizes the entire industry. It does flat out & state that tax records & collections are a responsibility of the new regulating authority... similar to alcohol/tobacco. This was just a matter of time for a 'budding' industry. Also, it isn't unconstitutional for them to regulate a constitutional amendment... it's their job/responsibility to do so.

Here's what concerns me:
- establishing "moral character" as a determining factor the Board can use, that also seems to require letters of recommendation from a dr, leo & local community leaders...??? Did I read this correctly???

- stating that MMj Centers can only grow their own and/or sell/buy from other registered Centers... up to 10% of volume. So, you can not purchase from patients/caregivers??? Did I read this correctly???

- caregivers can not co-op. This is flat out stated as no two caregivers can grow together. Even still, the previous section outlines that MMj Centers can only purchase from one another... no caregivers, unless (I guess) they register as an MMj Center. Is that even possible? Have to go back through a second time...


Won't this be up for some debate/amendment?

It may be for legislature's job to enact laws governing an action from an amendment, but they still have to be within reason, they cannot violate the liberties applied in that ammendment.
However, it is a constantly evolving process. Shall we consider freedom of speech or gun rights.
So in the end, when they keep trying to take it too far they will just end up in more lawsuits and people will give more attention to the ammendment.
For better or worse.

The reason they are trying to pull all this shit, is because it is Marijuana...that evil drug that causes black men to rape white women, that drug that mexicans bring with them when working the fields in the great depression....the Gateway Drug. They feel people will overlook the Amendment part, and just focus on the weed part.

"They say marijuana leads to other drugs. No it doesn't, it leads to fucking carpentry." Dennis Leary, No Cure for Cancer.

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This little bird told me... if you go far enough in to the mountains you're magically exempt from this new bill.[/quote]

LOL... lookin right now... ;-)

our only hope is that the governor does not get to the bill in time and it just sits there and gets forgotten about.

Actually, there are two bills; One, SB 109, that just passed the Senate, and this new one, 45 pages, in the House, that hasn't been voted on yet. The Senate vote was 45 -1 in favor, so that tells me something is going to get passed. Usually they will take the best of both bills (their idea of what is best, not ours!) and make one final bill both the House and Senate can agree on. Then the Governor will sign it. I'm guessing sometime before March 1st, and maybe in effect as of April 1st, maybe May 1st if we're lucky.

However, there is this, as a combat measure:

Med. Marijuana Group Plans Ballot Initiative Reporting
Terry Jessup DENVER (CBS4) ―

State lawmakers resumed their debate on Thursday on two new bills aimed at regulating medical marijuana. But a non-profit group is trying to get the issue of regulation away from lawmakers and back in front of voters.

A group called Sensible Colorado says a proposed ballot initiative is their plan B just in case lawmakers pass legislation their group finds unacceptable.

The medical marijuana advocates would have to gather 75,000 signatures by July in order to get the issue on the November ballot.

One of several things the groups doesn't like about the pending legislation lawmakers are considering is a provision that would let individual Colorado towns and cities enact their own laws to prohibit medical marijuana dispensaries.

"That to us is an un-workable provision," said Brian Vicente with Sensible Colorado. "People get sick in every corner of this state and we don't think medical marijuana patients should be treated like second class citizens who are forced to get on the bus and leave their community to go to another town that allows them to have access to medical marijuana."

The advocacy group also does not like a provision that states patients can't smoke medical marijuana on the dispensaries' premises. The group argues that patients won't have access to expensive vaporizers they can't afford to keep in their homes.

Sensible Colorado said they might not go through with the ballot initiative if the legislature passes a bill they like.

HIV patient Damien LaGoy hopes the legislature can craft a bill to regulate dispensaries that does balance law enforcement concerns with patients' rights.

But he is already worried about a provision that would make patients under 25 get recommendations from two doctors before they can get their medical marijuana treatment.

"There are responsible young people out there, some of them work here," said LaGoy