Douglas County voters to decide in November on new medical-marijuana sites - The Denver Post

Douglas County voters to decide in November on new medical-marijuana sites - The Denver Post

Douglas County voters in November will get their say on whether new medical-marijuana businesses should be allowed.

The county commissioners on Tuesday passed 3-0 a resolution to allow residents to vote on the issue and also extended a moratorium on new marijuana businesses until July 2011.

The ban proposed by the commissioners' resolution would not apply to existing medical-marijuana businesses — including grow operations, dispensaries and shops that sell products that contain marijuana — in unincorporated Douglas County.

Aurora, too, is about ready to let voters make the call on dispensaries.

By state law, Douglas County's commissioners could have banned new medical-marijuana businesses but decided to let voters have the final say.

County Attorney Lance Ingalls said the county is still unclear whether all county voters or only voters in unincorporated areas would be eligible to vote. The county is awaiting an interpretation from the state regarding that issue, he said.

There are a handful of medical- marijuana dispensaries in Doug las County.

Colorado voters in 2000 passed Amendment 20, which created the current medical-marijuana system. It allows patients suffering from specific conditions to purchase and consume medicinal pot.

But the law did not address dispensaries and other businesses that have sprung up around legal access to the drug.

Jessica Corry, a lawyer and medical-marijuana advocate, said governments are risking being sued if they ban dispensaries. She believes that has kept other communities from either banning the dispensaries or putting the issue to voters.