Controversial rules for medical-marijuana caregivers approved - The Denver Post

Controversial rules for medical-marijuana caregivers approved - The Denver Post

The state Board of Health today adopted major new rules for Colorado's small-scale medical-marijuana providers, over the objections of cannabis advocates who said the rules are too harsh.

The rules will require that caregivers — medical-marijuana providers serving five or fewer patients who cannot grow for themselves — do more than just give cannabis to patients. Instead, they must also do something extra, like help patients with shopping, cooking or getting to doctors' appointments.

Medical-marijuana advocates fear the added responsibilities will severely trim the number of caregivers, which state officials said today stands at 16,000. The advocates say caregivers provide a link to medical-marijuana for patients who are poor or who live in areas where there is no convenient access to dispensaries.

But Health Board members said they do not think the regulations present the doomsday scenario that advocates worry they do.