Truth Seeker
New Member
The top lawyer for Gov. John Hickenlooper said Wednesday that detailed regulations will keep the federal government from cracking down on marijuana legalization in Colorado.
Jack Finlaw, Hickenlooper's chief legal counsel, said the state must show it can keep marijuana within its borders and away from children and also prove that its regulations are comprehensive enough and well-funded enough to work.
"I believe, if we can convince them that we're able to do all that, then they will take the same stance on adult recreational use of marijuana as they've taken on medical marijuana," Finlaw said.
The federal government considers all marijuana illegal, but federal law-enforcement officials in Colorado have been mostly hands-off on the state's system of medical-marijuana dispensaries. There is some indication that state laws regulating the system have factored into their decision. The federal officials have been largely silent about marijuana legalization for all adults in Colorado, and Finlaw said they are likely awaiting the outcome of the state's regulatory process.
That process entered its second phase Wednesday, when a task force formally presented its recommendations to the state legislature.
In a 165-page report, the Amendment 64 Implementation Task Force makes 58 separate suggestions on everything from how recreational marijuana stores should be regulated to whether people should be able to smoke pot in bars.
The next step is for a special legislative committee to work the recommendations into bills. That committee holds its first meeting on Friday.
Finlaw, who co-chaired the task force, said the recommendations will provide a solid foundation for lawmakers.
"I see this as a gift we've given to the legislature," he said. "And, fortunately, I think they see it that way, as well."
At least one lawmaker, House Minority Leader Mark Waller, R-Colorado Springs, has criticized the recommendations for not being detailed enough. The recommendations leave some issues – such as the amount of a possible marijuana sales tax or whether people will be able to smoke marijuana in their backyards – up to lawmakers to debate.
But Christian Sederberg, a marijuana advocate and task force member, said the recommendations won't require a lot of new work by lawmakers.
"There are a bunch of very detailed policy components," he said.
News Hawk- TruthSeekr420 420 MAGAZINE
Source: denverpost.com
Author: John Ingold
Contact: Contact Us - The Denver Post
Website: Hickenlooper lawyer: Effective regulations key for pot legalization - The Denver Post
Jack Finlaw, Hickenlooper's chief legal counsel, said the state must show it can keep marijuana within its borders and away from children and also prove that its regulations are comprehensive enough and well-funded enough to work.
"I believe, if we can convince them that we're able to do all that, then they will take the same stance on adult recreational use of marijuana as they've taken on medical marijuana," Finlaw said.
The federal government considers all marijuana illegal, but federal law-enforcement officials in Colorado have been mostly hands-off on the state's system of medical-marijuana dispensaries. There is some indication that state laws regulating the system have factored into their decision. The federal officials have been largely silent about marijuana legalization for all adults in Colorado, and Finlaw said they are likely awaiting the outcome of the state's regulatory process.
That process entered its second phase Wednesday, when a task force formally presented its recommendations to the state legislature.
In a 165-page report, the Amendment 64 Implementation Task Force makes 58 separate suggestions on everything from how recreational marijuana stores should be regulated to whether people should be able to smoke pot in bars.
The next step is for a special legislative committee to work the recommendations into bills. That committee holds its first meeting on Friday.
Finlaw, who co-chaired the task force, said the recommendations will provide a solid foundation for lawmakers.
"I see this as a gift we've given to the legislature," he said. "And, fortunately, I think they see it that way, as well."
At least one lawmaker, House Minority Leader Mark Waller, R-Colorado Springs, has criticized the recommendations for not being detailed enough. The recommendations leave some issues – such as the amount of a possible marijuana sales tax or whether people will be able to smoke marijuana in their backyards – up to lawmakers to debate.
But Christian Sederberg, a marijuana advocate and task force member, said the recommendations won't require a lot of new work by lawmakers.
"There are a bunch of very detailed policy components," he said.
News Hawk- TruthSeekr420 420 MAGAZINE
Source: denverpost.com
Author: John Ingold
Contact: Contact Us - The Denver Post
Website: Hickenlooper lawyer: Effective regulations key for pot legalization - The Denver Post
