Ridgway Passes Moratorium on Medical Marijuana Dispensaries

[Ganjarden]

The Town of Ridgway has joined the ranks of other municipalities, including Telluride and Montrose, by passing a moratorium on medical marijuana dispensaries while its elected officials take time to understand what the issues and concerns are surrounding dispensaries and whether further regulator measures are needed.

After discussing the issue in executive session on Oct. 14, members of the Ridgway Town Council adopted the emergency ordinance, which prohibits medical marijuana dispensaries.

“Staff presented council with their concerns on the dispensaries and we came out of executive session and passed a moratorium on dispensaries,” Ridgway Mayor Pat Willits said in an interview on Tuesday. “After hearing what was going on in other communities, there may come a time when one could come here and we need more time to understand what the issues and concerns are.”

On Monday, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder issued a memorandum to federal prosecutors in the 14 states that allow the use of marijuana for medical purposes that his department is not interested in prosecuting patients and distributors who are in compliance with state laws. Amendment 20, which allows the use of medical marijuana in Colorado was passed by voters in 2000. Several dispensaries have been opened lately in Olathe, Delta, Grand Junction, and Durango.

Willits said that nobody, to his knowledge, had formally submitted an application for a new business license to open a dispensary in Ridgway but understood that the town had received several inquiries about opening one.


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Source: The Watch Newspapers
Author: Gus Jarvis
Contact: The Watch Newspapers
Copyright: 2009 The Watch Newspapers
Website: Ridgway Passes Moratorium on Medical Marijuana Dispensaries