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Colorado Senator Seeks Crackdown on MMJ Industry
Posted by CN Staff on November 07, 2009 at 06:42:08 PT
By John Stroud, Glenwood Springs Correspondent
Source: Aspen Times
Denver, Colorado -- State Sen. Al White, R-Hayden, whose district includes Glenwood Springs and Rifle, said Friday he plans to introduce legislation next session to regulate the rapidly expanding medical marijuana industry in Colorado.“What we've effectively got now is de facto decriminalization of marijuana,” White stated in a press release. “That is not what the people of this state voted for.”
Colorado voters in November 2000 approved a constitutional amendment legalizing medical use of marijuana to treat eight specific conditions. White noted that the General Assembly, however, never enacted rules governing consumption or distribution of the drug after the amendment's passage.Recently, some local governments have been trying to get a handle on the industry as largely unregulated marijuana dispensaries have popped up across the state, including several in Glenwood Springs and throughout the region from Aspen to Rifle.White proposes to take the business out of the hands of entrepreneurial “caregivers,” as they are known, and establish a state monopoly to grow and distribute marijuana. That will help keep black market marijuana out of the supply chain, he said.White's bill would also crack down on illicit distribution of marijuana to unqualified users by requiring any prescription for the substance to be filled by a licensed pharmacist.One local dispensary operator, Jesse Lafayette of Peaceful Warrior Medical Marijuana on Sixth Street in Glenwood Springs, said that would essentially put him and others like him out of business.Lafayette said White's proposal amounts to a “government takeover,” and only serves to perpetrate the war on drugs.“It seems to me like they're still fighting marijuana and continuing this war on drugs, when what we really need from our elected officials is more advocacy for marijuana and more awareness,” Lafayette said.“This would basically put me out of business, because I grow my marijuana for my patients,” he added. “Plus, you don't know what is going into the plants if the state grows it. My whole intent is to provide something organic and healthy that will benefit my patients.A state-run distribution system would also remove the intimacy between the grower, caregiver and patient, he said.White counters, however, that there needs to be more control over medical marijuana.“We don't allow unlicensed people to simply open up a shop and sell controlled substances like Valium or Oxycontin — that's why they call them ‘controlled substances,'” said White. “So, why are we allowing that to happen with medical marijuana?”White said the state's failure to regulate the industry has given rise to concerns that illicit drug cartels are using dispensaries as “quasi-legal” outlets for black market marijuana.“There are also concerns that the drug is being handed out liberally to many who don't really qualify,” White said.He noted that, in 2007, fewer than 2,000 people held medical marijuana cards. “That number has now grown to around 13,000, with some 600 new applications coming in every day,” he said.“If the state doesn't take some action to put an end to this ‘wild west' environment, Colorado is going to become the global retail headquarters for international drug cartels. That is simply not responsible,” White added.Lafayette said he's seen no evidence that international cartels are becoming involved, at least as far as he's concerned.“I've not been having any pressure at my store from cartels,” he said. “If it were happening, I'd be bombarded by people to buy from someone else.“Ultimately, more awareness will take the drug lords out of it,” he added. “It seems like Sen. White wants to put his energy into fighting marijuana and continuing the war on drugs, instead of putting his energy into to making this all legitimate.”White said his plan would also help the state deal with an estimated $1 billion budget gap over the next few years.Under his plan, revenue from the sale of marijuana would initially be split equally between a “rainy day fund” and a special fund for colleges and universities.After the “rainy day fund” reached $1 billion, the revenue would be directed entirely to higher education.“The legislature has an obligation to honor the will of the voters and make this work,” White acknowledged. “I'm looking forward to working with my colleagues across party lines next year to make that happen.”The State Legislature convenes its next session in January 2010.Note: Bill would leave dispensing up to state, pharmacies.Source: Aspen Times (CO)Author: John Stroud, Glenwood Springs CorrespondentPublished: November 7, 2009Copyright: 2009 Aspen TimesWebsite: http://www.aspentimes.com/URL: http://drugsense.org/url/9utAGeTCContact: http://drugsense.org/url/zKpMPhQ7CannabisNews Medical Marijuana Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/medical.shtml
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Comment #12 posted by kaptinemo on November 08, 2009 at 04:30:45 PT:
Another gauntlet thrown down
This is going to be interesting. If the prohibs want to try to shut the Cafe's down, they could be taken to court by the proprietors and be forced, under oath, to try to prove cannabis's supposed deleterious effects. Which would, in turn, lead to the literally ton (print them all up, and they'd probably weigh that much) or more of studies to the contrary being entered as evidence against them.Not only that, but the crazy prohibs themselves would be put in a position where their lies and misinformation would be publicly revealed as such. They'd be outed for the crackpots they are, and the public would get to see that they are just as wrong-headed as promoters of Flat Earth theories and phlogiston chemistry. Rather embarrassing.That could blast the Controlled Substances Act, the lynch-pin for many of their endeavors, right out of the water, by calling its' veracity into not only scientific but public and legal question. That in turn could open up much bigger cans of worms for the Feds to dine upon...without ketchup, I might add.An icicle in Hell would have better odds of coming out of such a confrontation unscathed.But I have just one complaint: why keep using the opposition's terminology? Why Marijuana Cafe instead of Cannabis Cafe? 'Marijuana' is their word. By our using it, we are tacitly agreeing with them. Enough said.
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Comment #11 posted by HempWorld on November 07, 2009 at 18:34:46 PT
Oregon NORML Cannabis Café Grand Opening Update
Riding on the wave of President Obama’s memo to end DEA interference in states’ medical marijuana laws and an unprecedented response from the media, Oregon NORML’s Cannabis Café opens at 4:20pm on November 13, 2009 at Rumpspankers.com, 700 NE Dekum St, Portland, OR 97211. A special preview of the café and press conference will be held at 2:00pm. This will be the only time that anyone from the public will be allowed inside. All media are welcome to attend, and special guests will be included by invitation only. “The response has been overwhelming,” says Madeline Martinez, Executive Director of Oregon NORML. “We are excited to be able to provide a safe place for patients to medicate that is out of public view within the guidelines of the Oregon Medical Marijuana Act (OMMA). Many patients travel to Portland for medical care and treatment and have no place they can go to use their medicine during those often exhausting and intensive trips. "Do they go out into an alley and hide in the back of their car?" Martinez said. "There needs to be a place, much like our meetings are, where people can socialize and network."In the week since the announcement of the café’s opening, stories have appeared in most major Oregon newspapers and television stations. Martinez appeared on OPB’s Think Out Loud talk show and attended the local neighborhood association meeting to reassure the public that the café will be operated at the highest of standards and strives to be a positive addition to the area.Members must be registrants of the Oregon Medical Marijuana Program (OMMP) and members of Oregon NORML to gain entrance to the café. For the Grand Opening, the entry fee will be $25.00, which covers the first month of membership and an all-day entry pass. Basic membership to Oregon NORML is $35.00 per year and will be available at the door. Please contact Oregon NORML for more information on the message line 503-239-6110. Details and information will also be available at www.ornorml.org as they become available.WHAT: Oregon NORML Cannabis CaféWHERE: Rumpspankers
700 NE Dekum
Portland, OR 97211WHEN: Friday, November 13, 2009
Press Conference and Preview at 2:00pm
Grand Opening at 4:20pm
Then, daily from 10:00am to 10:00pmCOST: $25.00 entry fee
Covers first month of café membership and all-day entry pass
$35.00 – basic annual membership to Oregon NORML will be available at the door.
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Comment #10 posted by HempWorld on November 07, 2009 at 17:58:22 PT
Will keep track of all the new and existing cafes
at http://www.CannabisCafes.com
CannabisCafes.com
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Comment #9 posted by HempWorld on November 07, 2009 at 17:36:35 PT
OT Madelin Martinez from Oregon NORML said
there was a lot of interest in the official opening of the 2nd Cannabis Cafe in Portland, OR, (with lots of media/CNN etc.) on this Friday the 13th at 4:20 PM 700 N.E. Dekum St. Portland.I urge every card holder in the area to attend!Today I received information that confirms that the governments in Canada and the US are literally being overgrown. I do not believe this trend will be reversed in the next 5 to 10 years ... it is simply overpowering like nothing quite like it in human history.Nobody can stop this now, not even Mr. White.
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Comment #8 posted by kaptinemo on November 07, 2009 at 17:33:16 PT:
'Senate' (does not equal sign) 'House of Lords"
The problem that a great many elected officials have in this country is that they seem to think they're in another one...Great Britain, where people elected to office feel they are pretty much hired to exercise their own judgments - and prejudices - as opposed to a Congressman or Senator, who is hired to carry out the will of the people.The people have spoken, loud and clear. In Breckenridge, CO, they spoke so loud and clear with a 73% majority that it's a wonder the mountains didn't shake.But these goofy pols still think they're something special. Well, we don't don't have lordships in this country, and it's isn't a parliamentarian system. And it's time their constituents reminded them of that, as elections are coming up next year.
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Comment #7 posted by John Tyler on November 07, 2009 at 17:08:17 PT
doing his worst
"White's bill would also crack down on illicit distribution of marijuana to unqualified users by requiring any prescription for the substance to be filled by a licensed pharmacist."It was my impression that Doctors could not write prescriptions for cannabis because the FDA does not officially approve of cannabis. I thought they could write a recommendation only. That is a big difference. That could be a big factual error in his proposed legislation. I’m not surprised at some of these peoples’ ignorance. This guy just doesn’t like the fact that the voters voted to loosen the horrible cannabis laws and he is going to do his worst to try to make things more difficult.
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Comment #6 posted by FoM on November 07, 2009 at 16:36:37 PT
Colo. Medical Marijuana Supporters Head To Court
November 7, 2009URL: http://cbs4denver.com/local/medical.marijuana.lawsuit.2.1298781.html
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Comment #5 posted by Celaya on November 07, 2009 at 13:26:16 PT
Oh, Really?
“What we've effectively got now is de facto decriminalization of marijuana,” White stated in a press release. “That is not what the people of this state voted for.”How does he know that's not what the people voted for? The latest polls show HALF the of-age population has smoked pot. I'd bet a month's salary most of the people who voted for it were actually expressing their contempt for marijuana prohibition - period.The jack boots will continue to scream like this until they have finally figured out a way to take the people's will totally out of the equation. Then they won't have to be bothered with the pesky public opinion anymore.
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Comment #4 posted by tintala on November 07, 2009 at 09:05:44 PT:
OR WE COULD JUST LEGALIZE it
"White's bill would also crack down on illicit distribution of marijuana to unqualified users by requiring any prescription for the substance to be filled by a licensed pharmacist"or just legalize it, let's see there are about 5 liquor stores near my house, and 100 bars, and people run red lights all day at the intersection and speeding, that's illegal too, but it's still happening.
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Comment #3 posted by Richard Zuckerman on November 07, 2009 at 08:28:10 PT:
IS THIS STATE SENATOR AL WHITE DIRTY?
Who is this State Senator Al White? Is he a diehard supporter of law enforcement? What are his pet peeves? Who are his major campaign contributors?
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Comment #2 posted by kaptinemo on November 07, 2009 at 08:24:28 PT:
Free market...HYPOCRITES
Who are the people always mouthing off about how supportive they are of the free market? (At least as far as paying lip service to it.) Here's a hint: they usually have the letter "R" after their names.Yet, what is this guy proposing? He wants a State-owned and run monopoly.But, as usual, they betray their real motives early on:"White said the state's failure to regulate the industry has given rise to concerns that illicit drug cartels are using dispensaries as “quasi-legal” outlets for black market marijuana.and"“If the state doesn't take some action to put an end to this ‘wild west' environment, Colorado is going to become the global retail headquarters for international drug cartels. That is simply not responsible,” White added.Straight from the DEA Propaganda Playbook. You know, the one that says even the most primitive of hydroponic wick-type grow ops is (gasp!) 'sophisticated' No, Mr. White, the intent is shut out the cartels by creating legal, domestically produced and sold products that will undercut imported crap and, coincidentally, create much needed jobs and tax revenue. Now, how can a supposedly free market capitalist type Republican be against such as that?They're against it because, for the most part, such people actually favor monopolies over free enterprise. If their buddies in the major corp-rat combines can't control the action, they don't want anybody else to have a piece of it. It's that simple.
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Comment #1 posted by Sam Adams on November 07, 2009 at 07:02:58 PT
regulate!
great to see Paul get into the local media! another New England guy, did not know thathttp://www.patriotledger.com/opinions/x1659496379/COMMENTARY-Only-by-regulating-marijuana-can-the-government-expect-to-control-it
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