The Weld County Commissioners slammed the door on any new medical marijuana growing or dispensing in unincorporated areas of the county Monday morning.
The commissioners, with a 5-0 vote, approved on final reading an ordinance to the Weld County Code pertaining to zoning that prohibits the cultivation, manufacture, distribution or sale of medical marijuana or medical marijuana-infused products. The exception is those primary caregivers or patients who were licensed by the state prior to June 1 of this year.
The commissioners said the while the state legislature approved medical marijuana during the last session, it remains a federal violation.
"Until the state gets in line with the federal government or the federal government gets in line with the state, there's not much we can do," Commissioner Barbara Kirkmeyer said in voting to pass the ordinance. But all the commissioners also recognized that the state legislature will address the issue next year and the ordinance could be revised at that point. All of them also recognized that there are current illegal growing operations throughout the county which has drawn the attention of county, state and federal law enforcement agencies when they are notified and have caused "serious problems," said Commissioner Dave Long.
"My biggest concern is that (marijuana production) is still against federal law," Chairman Doug Rademacher said.
NewsHawk: Ganjarden: 420 MAGAZINE
Source: Greeley Tribune
Author: Bill Jackson
Copyright: 2010 Swift Communications, Inc.
* Thanks to MedicalNeed for submitting this article
The commissioners, with a 5-0 vote, approved on final reading an ordinance to the Weld County Code pertaining to zoning that prohibits the cultivation, manufacture, distribution or sale of medical marijuana or medical marijuana-infused products. The exception is those primary caregivers or patients who were licensed by the state prior to June 1 of this year.
The commissioners said the while the state legislature approved medical marijuana during the last session, it remains a federal violation.
"Until the state gets in line with the federal government or the federal government gets in line with the state, there's not much we can do," Commissioner Barbara Kirkmeyer said in voting to pass the ordinance. But all the commissioners also recognized that the state legislature will address the issue next year and the ordinance could be revised at that point. All of them also recognized that there are current illegal growing operations throughout the county which has drawn the attention of county, state and federal law enforcement agencies when they are notified and have caused "serious problems," said Commissioner Dave Long.
"My biggest concern is that (marijuana production) is still against federal law," Chairman Doug Rademacher said.
NewsHawk: Ganjarden: 420 MAGAZINE
Source: Greeley Tribune
Author: Bill Jackson
Copyright: 2010 Swift Communications, Inc.
* Thanks to MedicalNeed for submitting this article
