Jacob Bell
New Member
PALISADE, Colo. (KKCO) - A government agency says banning medical marijuana dispensaries will make regulating the drug even harder possibly fueling the drug into a frenzy on the black market.
The government agency in charge of regulating and monitoring medical marijuana is only allowed to regulate where dispensaries are legal.
Colorado Alternative Health Care, the last dispensary in Mesa County, could be no more come November when voters will be able to vote on closing it down.
"We have an interest in making sure the centers are run per law," says Division Director of the Medical Marijuana Enforcement Division Dan Hartman.
He says they can only regulate in areas where there are commercial marijuana businesses.
"It doesn't mean that there will not be marijuana in the community; it will just be in other places off the beat and path," says Hartman.
He adds all enforcement will be left to local police, who can't regulate.
"So it becomes local law enforcement dealing with the constitutional ability to act as a caregiver or a patient," explains Hartman.
Diane Cox of Safe and Healthy Mesa County, an anti-marijuana group says government regulation can lead to problems.
"Government agencies always want to expand their agencies and their influence and power," says Cox.
Something Desa Loughman, owner of Colorado Alternative Health Care does not agree with.
"Regulations protect the patients, protect the children. They protect everybody involved in the industry," says Loughman.
Opponents claim a different side saying keeping the dispensaries will only fuel illegal drug use among children.
"The number of children expelled statewide for having marijuana has gone up 40% and it's doubled here in District 51," explains Cox.
Loughman says there is no way to prove that has anything to do with commercial marijuana businesses.
"There has been no crime increase related to us. The Palisade Police Open Records Act will verify that," says Loughman.
Still Cox stands her ground.
"The people of Colorado have voted in 75 communities to get rid of dispensaries because of all the problems they create," says Cox.
"We have a lot of backing from the town, from community members and other people in the area that understand we are here to help patients," explains Loughman.
She says if the dispensary closes, it will be patients who suffer the most.
Voting "Yes" on Measure 2B is a vote to close the dispensary while a vote of "NO" will keep the dispensary open.
The deadline for all ballots is November 1st at 7 p.m.
News Hawk- Jacob Ebel 420 MAGAZINE
Source: nbc11news.com
Author: Matt Vanderveer
Contact: Contact Us
Copyright: Gray Television, Inc.
Website: Agency says closing dispensary will make regulation harder
The government agency in charge of regulating and monitoring medical marijuana is only allowed to regulate where dispensaries are legal.
Colorado Alternative Health Care, the last dispensary in Mesa County, could be no more come November when voters will be able to vote on closing it down.
"We have an interest in making sure the centers are run per law," says Division Director of the Medical Marijuana Enforcement Division Dan Hartman.
He says they can only regulate in areas where there are commercial marijuana businesses.
"It doesn't mean that there will not be marijuana in the community; it will just be in other places off the beat and path," says Hartman.
He adds all enforcement will be left to local police, who can't regulate.
"So it becomes local law enforcement dealing with the constitutional ability to act as a caregiver or a patient," explains Hartman.
Diane Cox of Safe and Healthy Mesa County, an anti-marijuana group says government regulation can lead to problems.
"Government agencies always want to expand their agencies and their influence and power," says Cox.
Something Desa Loughman, owner of Colorado Alternative Health Care does not agree with.
"Regulations protect the patients, protect the children. They protect everybody involved in the industry," says Loughman.
Opponents claim a different side saying keeping the dispensaries will only fuel illegal drug use among children.
"The number of children expelled statewide for having marijuana has gone up 40% and it's doubled here in District 51," explains Cox.
Loughman says there is no way to prove that has anything to do with commercial marijuana businesses.
"There has been no crime increase related to us. The Palisade Police Open Records Act will verify that," says Loughman.
Still Cox stands her ground.
"The people of Colorado have voted in 75 communities to get rid of dispensaries because of all the problems they create," says Cox.
"We have a lot of backing from the town, from community members and other people in the area that understand we are here to help patients," explains Loughman.
She says if the dispensary closes, it will be patients who suffer the most.
Voting "Yes" on Measure 2B is a vote to close the dispensary while a vote of "NO" will keep the dispensary open.
The deadline for all ballots is November 1st at 7 p.m.
News Hawk- Jacob Ebel 420 MAGAZINE
Source: nbc11news.com
Author: Matt Vanderveer
Contact: Contact Us
Copyright: Gray Television, Inc.
Website: Agency says closing dispensary will make regulation harder
