Medical-pot bill friendly to industry OK'd by panel - The Denver Post

Medical-pot bill friendly to industry OK'd by panel - The Denver Post

Medical-marijuana advocates scored another win Monday at the state Capitol when a legislative panel approved a bill creating new dispensary regulations after making several industry-friendly changes.
A divided House Judiciary Committee removed a provision that would have allowed local governments to ban dispensaries in their communities. The committee also voted to allow consumption of marijuana-infused products at dispensaries, lower the amount of marijuana a dispensary would have to grow itself, eliminate a cap on the number of patients a dispensary could serve and loosen the rules for past criminal violations that could automatically disqualify someone from owning a dispensary.
House Bill 1284 would require dispensaries

to be licensed with the state, grow 70 percent of the marijuana they sell and be subject to strict operational regulations. The committee passed the bill on a 7-4 party-line vote with Democrats in favor, though some votes on amendments were closer.
"This provides tremendous opportunities for this business and this form of medication to be used in a highly regulated environment," said Rep. Claire Levy, a Boulder Democrat who chairs the committee.
Brian Vicente, the executive director of the medical-marijuana patient-advocacy group Sensible Colorado, called the revised bill a "significant improvement."
"This bill is becoming closer to what patients need in this state," he said.
But not everyone is pleased.
Mark Radtke, the legislative and policy advocate for the Colorado Municipal League, said the organization would fight to restore the ability of local governments to ban dispensaries. Rep. Steve King, a Grand Junction Republican who sits on the committee, said the bill distorts the intent of Amendment 20, the state constitutional provision that legalizes medical marijuana.

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