cannabisnews.com: More Changes In Store For Medical Marijuana Rules
function share_this(num) {
tit=encodeURIComponent('More Changes In Store For Medical Marijuana Rules');
url=encodeURIComponent('http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/25/thread25624.shtml');
site = new Array(5);
site[0]='http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u='+url+'&title='+tit;
site[1]='http://www.stumbleupon.com/submit.php?url='+url+'&title='+tit;
site[2]='http://digg.com/submit?topic=political_opinion&media=video&url='+url+'&title='+tit;
site[3]='http://reddit.com/submit?url='+url+'&title='+tit;
site[4]='http://del.icio.us/post?v=4&noui&jump=close&url='+url+'&title='+tit;
window.open(site[num],'sharer','toolbar=0,status=0,width=620,height=500');
return false;
}
More Changes In Store For Medical Marijuana Rules
Posted by CN Staff on April 26, 2010 at 17:47:58 PT
By Colleen Slevin, The Associated Press
Source: Associated Press
Denver -- State lawmakers are close to cracking down on shady doctors who are writing medical marijuana recommendations but, with just about two weeks to go, they're still trying to figure out how — and whether — to regulate dispensaries.A proposal to license dispensaries, require owners to undergo criminal background checks and to grow most of the marijuana they sell (House Bill 1284) is set to get its first hearing in the Senate on Tuesday. Sponsor Sen. Chris Romer, D-Denver, thinks about 80 percent of the estimated 1,000 dispensaries in the state wouldn't be able to pass muster and would have to close. He believes about 200 dispensaries would be enough to provide medical marijuana to the estimated 100,000 people entitled to use the drug legally.
"My intention is to get the thugs and the knuckleheads out of the business," said Romer, who wants to set the license application fees at between $10,000 and $35,000 depending on the size of the dispensary.He also plans to make more changes to the regulations including barring those under 21 from entering dispensaries and prevent people from out-of-state moving to Colorado to open a dispensary. The current slate of regulations has already approved by the House so any more amendments made in the Senate would have to go back to the House for another vote.Meanwhile, a group of Republican lawmakers wants to ask voters to just ban dispensaries altogether. Their proposed referendum would require that only actual people — not shops — be able to provide medical marijuana to patients and that those caregivers also help patients with the daily necessities of life. They need to get support from two-thirds of lawmakers to get it on the ballot.Prosecutors and Attorney General John Suthers have been urging lawmakers not to regulate dispensaries because they say that will legitimize an industry that they say wasn't sanctioned under the medical marijuana law passed by voters in 2000. Backers of Amendment 20 point out that the law does reference dispensing of the drug.Lawmakers are close to passing a less controversial measure (Senate Bill 109) that bars doctors from writing medical marijuana recommendations if their medical license isn't active or has been restricted by regulators of if they've lost their federal certification to prescribe drugs.Ned Calonge, the state's chief medical officer, said about 15 doctors have written about 80 percent of the medical marijuana licenses and seven of them have restricted licenses. The medical marijuana registry is confidential and he says that has kept him from referring any cases to the medical examiners' board for investigation. He said the bill will make it clear that he can ask the board to investigate and allow him to turn over records with patient information redacted.Many dispensaries want lawmakers to pass regulations for their shops, both to legitimize their industry and protect them from possible federal drug raids. However, smaller operators fear the current proposal that they grow 70 percent of their pot themselves will drive them out of business. Lawmakers say the limit will make it easier to track sales to ensure that they're legal.In the middle are patients, whom advocates say are being forgotten in the rush to get a handle of dispensaries.The proposed regulations would allow cities to ban dispensaries within their boundaries. City councils or voters could approve such a ban. Anyone who has been convicted of a drug felony would be barred from running a dispensary.Source: Associated Press (Wire)Author: Colleen Slevin, The Associated PressPublished: April 26, 2010Copyright: 2010 The Associated PressCannabisNews Medical Marijuana Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/medical.shtml
Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help
Comment #28 posted by runruff on April 28, 2010 at 08:22:20 PT
Cops and politicians?
It is good to be dumb if it profits you?
[ Post Comment ]
Comment #27 posted by Jim Leighton on April 28, 2010 at 08:03:09 PT:
cannabis is good
Sometimes these forays into politics over cannabis are necessary , but all the people who have thought clearly and have found cannabis to be good , medical users , farmers ,recreational users , everyone who has an independent rational mind and has found out the truth concerning cannabis , should get on the same page and move together to get legalization done .All this posturing , debate , endless arguing over the minutia of details that politicians make a career out of , ignore the simple truth that cannabis is good .
[ Post Comment ]
Comment #26 posted by Hope on April 27, 2010 at 20:57:39 PT
The article mentioned in comment 5
says 23. I started to say something about that this morning, but didn't get a chance to when I was thinking about it."Proposed amendments
Romer today is set to introduce amendments that would ban people under the age of 23 from entering medical marijuana centers, raise the non refundable application fees for a medical marijuana center to up to $35,000, and require centers with 300 patients or more to have licensed medical or message professionals on site for at least 30 hours per week."
[ Post Comment ]
Comment #25 posted by FoM on April 27, 2010 at 19:47:38 PT
Those Under 21 Could Be Banned From Dispensaries
April 27, 2010Denver (AP) -- Anyone under 21 could be barred from medical marijuana dispensaries under a proposal being considered by state lawmakers.Democratic Sen. Chris Romer proposed the change Tuesday as the Senate held its first hearing on rules for the medical marijuana dispensaries and growers that have popped up around the state over the last year.The Senate Local Government and Energy Committee was still taking testimony Tuesday evening and hasn't voted on whether to endorse the regulations or proposed changes.Under the bill, dispensaries would have to be licensed by both state and local governments to stay in business. Cities and counties would be able to vote to ban dispensaries from opening within their boundaries.Copyright: 2010 The Associated PressURL:
http://cbs4denver.com/wireapnewsco/Lawmakers.consider.banning.2.1660448.html
[ Post Comment ]
Comment #24 posted by FoM on April 27, 2010 at 17:55:31 PT
News Article from 9News.com
Crowds Pack Capitol To Debate Medical Marijuana Regulations April 27, 2010Denver -- Hundreds of people showed up to the State Capitol on Tuesday to weigh in on the future of medical marijuana in Colorado. State lawmakers have struggled to find a consensus on how to regulate the industry. Two bills have been working their way through the legislature since lawmakers came back to work in January. One bill deals with the doctors prescribing medical marijuana and the patients who can get it. A different, new proposal targets how it is distributed. Sen. Chris Romer (D-Denver) is the sponsor of House Bill 1284. It would require dispensaries to pay fees to cover the cost of their regulation. The large crowd packed into the old Supreme Court chambers inside the Capitol on Tuesday. Most of those involved in the debate agree there needs to be regulation on the industry. Lawmakers are trying to determine how to make sure any regulation ensures medical marijuana for the chronically-ill patients Colorado voters said should get it. "There's lots of concern because lots of people have made a decision to get into this business. It's been kind of the Wild West. Today is the day we begin to get control of the Wild West and it's not going to be your average mom and pop business. It is the controlling, growing and dispensing of a controlled substance which means it needs to be regulated and highly regulated," Romer said. Romer's bill would also allow individual communities to decide to forbid any medical marijuana dispensaries. "There's some language in there that would allow towns, municipalities to ban dispensaries. People get sick in every corner of this state and they deserve to have safe and convenient access to medical marijuana. Banning a dispensary is the same as banning a pharmacy and patients shouldn't be treated as second class citizens and have to get on a bus out of town to get the medicine they need," Brian Vicente with Sensible Colorado said. "We need to allow mom and pop operations and small businesses in Colorado to thrive. Some of the fees being proposed by Senator Romer would absolutely destroy small business in Colorado and the less small businesses there are, the worse access to medicine patients have." Lawmakers are expected to decide next week whether to send a proposal to ban dispensaries altogether to the November ballot for the general public to vote on. Copyright: 2010 KUSA-TV Multimedia Holdings CorporationURL: http://www.9news.com/news/article.aspx?storyid=137712&catid=339
[ Post Comment ]
Comment #23 posted by Hope on April 27, 2010 at 12:47:59 PT
I'm sorry...
That thirty five thousand dollars is not for a license. It's for an "Application". I guess that's thirty five thousand dollars for merely an application for a license for business.That's an outrage.
[ Post Comment ]
Comment #22 posted by Hope on April 27, 2010 at 12:31:37 PT
$35, 000.00 non refundable license fee?
Good grief. That seems insane. I think Romer must be so wealthy that he doesn't have much of a clue of what reality is for most people. Only rich people allowed in his scheme of the way he wants the medical marijuana "industry" to be, I guess. His scheme has "Scam" written all over it!And what does that mean? If you don't have thirty five thousand dollars to get a chance at his scheme... you must be a "thug" or "knucklehead"? And what banker is going to lend you thirty five thousand dollars, non refundable, for a "maybe" license?He wants people to pay thirty five thousand dollars for a chance for the state to allow them to operate a business. The man is eat up with that prohibitionist, reefer madness, cannabis phobia insanity. He needs some sort of counseling.
[ Post Comment ]
Comment #21 posted by Hope on April 27, 2010 at 12:23:10 PT
Comment 5
Gene Davis, the staff writer, I was glad to see, did use the word "supposed" in his description of the caller. If it had been the Post it would have run with "Romer gets death threats from medical marijuana activist"."Following last week’s death threat from a supposed medical marijuana activist, a lawmaker looking to place limits on Colorado’s booming medical marijuana industry says he won’t be bullied by “thugs and knuckleheads.” "
[ Post Comment ]
Comment #20 posted by Boulder Patient on April 27, 2010 at 11:04:50 PT:
This makes me so mad!
I have read much of this bill, the one passed on April 20th. Some of the worst parts about it are that it limits caregivers to only five patients, so only very small grows are allowed, unless you are a dispensary and pay a large fee.Romer has said he wants the fee to be $35,000! He says he wants to put 80% of dispensaries out of business!How can this guy be so anti-business? This is people's lives and dreams he wants to destroy.And the result would be a market for patients without much competition, leading to higher prices.He wants the state to waste money tracking all of the marijuana grown and sold. Why are these people so anal retentive? They need to track everything, and control everything. That's important for nuclear weapons, but not for something that causes little to no harm.I wrote a longer update about this at my site
Boulder Medical Marijuana - HB 1284 Update
[ Post Comment ]
Comment #19 posted by BGreen on April 27, 2010 at 10:41:42 PT
Sometimes things are medicinal but not drugs
Look at the drug-like chemicals in our food. Garlic, broccoli and blueberries are just three of the countless foods with verified medicinal chemicals but only a pro-jail people hating fool would call them "drugs."Cannabis is not only an herb but it's also a food with medicinal properties.Cannabis is equal with garlic, broccoli and blueberries, so they're either all drugs or none of them are drugs.The Reverend Bud Green
[ Post Comment ]
Comment #18 posted by FoM on April 27, 2010 at 10:24:57 PT
herbdoc215
I do understand what you meant. I use a couple different medicinal herbs SJW and Valarian mostly. I trust herbs more then drugs.
[ Post Comment ]
Comment #17 posted by herbdoc215 on April 27, 2010 at 09:06:36 PT
This is how you fight these lies...
Marijuana
Rob Corry calls latest Tom Massey-Chris Romer medical marijuana bill a "multi-layered bureaucratic monstrosity"
By Michael Roberts, Wednesday, Feb. 24 2010 1:59PM
Comments (8)
Categories: Follow That Story, Politicsrob corry.JPG
"Smile when you say that."
Medical marijuana advocate Rob Corry has made ripping up proposed medical marijuana legislation a specialty.Back in January, he eviscerated Senator Chris Romer's first plan line by line -- and did likewise to Romer's bill attempting to codify the relationship between doctors and medical marijuana patients. And in an interview earlier this month, he had a raft of complaints about the Massey measure, and promised to detail his objections before long.Today, as you'll see in the nine-page letter to Massey and Romer below, he more than delivered, calling the legislation a "multi-layered bureaucratic monstrosity."As before, Corry dissects the measure (click here to read it) one line at a time, and in tremendous detail. Among his claims -- at least one portion of the bill is "blatantly unconstitutional," while another constitutes cruel and unusual punishment.Page through below to check out all of Corry's argument: Dear Representative Massey and Senator Romer: Thank you for requesting that I provide you a detailed critique of your bill, HB 10-1284, introduced as a "Regulate Medical Marijuana" bill. I enjoyed SNIPPED...http://blogs.westword.com/latestword/2010/02/rob_corry_shreds_latest_tom_ma.phpI urge everybody to read this guys masterful dissection of Massey BS...
I also hate seeing any plant sent by God to help save us from suffering demonized and many more people like myself are saved by opiates and cannabis than are ever hurt by them, at least those whom use them responsibly and to deny them to people like me whom are struggling just to stay alive is cruel. I have also seen many heart victims use digitalis to stay alive but it must first be prepared by those whom know how to be used safely was all I meant? peace, steve
[ Post Comment ]
Comment #16 posted by FoM on April 27, 2010 at 08:45:07 PT
herbdoc215
The substances you mention aren't drugs but plants or herbs. I understand why comparing cannabis to an addictive flower (opium poppy) isn't helpful to our cause.
[ Post Comment ]
Comment #15 posted by herbdoc215 on April 27, 2010 at 08:38:52 PT
What about opium or peyote or digitalis or cocoa?
Are they drugs? These are really just words that have cultural significance attached to them and we have to be very careful our arguments don't sound irrational to the very people whom we are trying to educate. What we need to concentrate on are questions like, Is locking people up in jail for using substances helping them or society? How come 1.6% of population was hooked on drugs before prohibition and today after billions of dollars and MILLIONS ruined lives/families there still is 1.6% of population hooked on drugs....DUH! The truth is coming out like an alien exploding from someone in the movies and there isn't a damn thing the fascist can do about it as when an ideas time has come, it becomes a force of it's own! peace, steve
[ Post Comment ]
Comment #14 posted by dongenero on April 27, 2010 at 08:08:59 PT
Thug or knucklehead?
Main Entry: thug
Pronunciation: \ˈthəg\
Function: noun
Etymology: Hindi & Urdu ṭhag, literally, thief
Date: 1810: a brutal ruffian or assassinOk Mr. Romer, no assassins or brutal ruffians in the dispensary business, fair enough.Main Entry: knuck·le·head
Pronunciation: \-ˌhed\
Function: noun
Date: 1942: dumbbell 2Ok dumbells will probably take care of the problem themselves, in being incapable of running a business, with math, accounting, etc.Great ideas Mr.Romer. But, $10k-$35k licenses really only block out the underfunded. There could be wealthy assassins or dumbells waiting for just this opportunity.
[ Post Comment ]
Comment #13 posted by FoM on April 27, 2010 at 07:49:20 PT
The GCW
I agree that cannabis is not a drug. A drug is made by man but cannabis is not.
[ Post Comment ]
Comment #12 posted by The GCW on April 27, 2010 at 07:33:18 PT
Cannabis is NOT a drug!
Cannabis is NOT a drug!That's an important message that We must get out. It only serves prohibitionists and their use of negative stereotypes.PLANT: as in Christ God Our Father, The Ecologician, indicates He created all the seed-bearing plants, saying they are all good, on literally the very first page of the Bible (Genesis 1:11-12 and 29-30).
[ Post Comment ]
Comment #11 posted by BGreen on April 27, 2010 at 06:14:57 PT
Somebody agrees with you, Hope
Somebody named "Cannabis is not a drug" just posted the same thing you said on the Denver Daily News website.Great minds think alike. ;)Bro. Bud
[ Post Comment ]
Comment #10 posted by Sam Adams on April 27, 2010 at 05:57:51 PT
Translation needed
When he said:"My intention is to get the thugs and the knuckleheads out of the business," said Romer, who wants to set the license application fees at between $10,000 and $35,000 depending on the size of the dispensary.He really meant, "I'm desparate to knock down some of the competition for Coors and the other Big Alcohol players in my state. A thousand cannabis shops in the same state as Adolf Coors & company? My favorite source of bribes? Not on my watch!"
[ Post Comment ]
Comment #9 posted by FoM on April 27, 2010 at 05:49:20 PT
Check Out The Banner Ad on The Denver Post
URL: http://www.denverpost.com/news/marijuana/ci_14962665
[ Post Comment ]
Comment #8 posted by FoM on April 27, 2010 at 05:46:33 PT
Pot Regulations in for More Changes in Senate
Associated PressApril 27, 2010
Denver -- Proposed regulations for medical marijuana dispensaries are in for more changes in the state Senate.The regulations are up for their first hearing in the Senate on Tuesday.The bill sponsor, Sen. Chris Romer, wants to ban people under 21 going inside dispensaries and wants to bar people from out-of-state from opening dispensaries.The proposed regulations, approved by the House, would already require owners to undergo criminal background checks and that dispensaries grow most of their own marijuana. Romer thinks that about 80 percent of the estimated 1,000 dispensaries in the state would have to close as a result.A group of Republican lawmakers, meanwhile, wants to ask voters to ban dispensaries altogether.Copyright: 2010 Associated PressURL: http://drugsense.org/url/U8hCIAED
[ Post Comment ]
Comment #7 posted by FoM on April 27, 2010 at 05:42:45 PT
Hope
As long as Colorado stays with a Democrat it would be ok to vote for someone else. If they voted in a Republican heaven forbid what the results would be. I don't want to see what is going on in Colorado dismantled.
[ Post Comment ]
Comment #6 posted by Hope on April 27, 2010 at 05:38:43 PT
If it's true that Romer got such a call...
I don't think it was from a reformer. A real reformer wouldn't call someone applying for a dispensary license a "drug dealer", much less threaten Romer in such a way. It would probably be best if Coloradans didn't re-elect or newly elect Romer to any office.
[ Post Comment ]
Comment #5 posted by FoM on April 27, 2010 at 05:01:50 PT
Med Pot Death Threat
April 27, 2010URL: http://www.thedenverdailynews.com/article.php?aID=8206
[ Post Comment ]
Comment #4 posted by Hope on April 27, 2010 at 04:09:01 PT
Thug or knucklehead?
My guess is, Romer came in through the "Knucklehead" door. Maybe the "Thug" door. Actually, the "Greedy Thug" door, or "Political Thug" door, but most likely, the very wide and clearly marked "Knucklehead" door.""My intention is to get the thugs and the knuckleheads out of the business," said Romer, who wants to set the license application fees at between $10,000 and $35,000 depending on the size of the dispensary."
[ Post Comment ]
Comment #3 posted by The GCW on April 26, 2010 at 20:34:44 PT
Printed in paper
This story is printed in the Summit Daily News in case anyone wants to write a letter to the editor.US CO: More changes in store for Colo. medical marijuana rulesWebpage: http://www.summitdaily.com/article/20100426/NEWS/100429841/1078&ParentProfile=1055
[ Post Comment ]
Comment #2 posted by Cheebs1 on April 26, 2010 at 19:41:06 PT:
Greedy
The greed being shown by Mr. Romer is stupefying. How can anyone think the license cost of $10,000 - $35,000 is appropriate for a non-profit business? The unmitigated greed is manifesting and taking on a life of it's own. The ironic thing is that most of the illegal shops would pay this willingly to stay open while the smaller more modest , and probably more honest, shops will be forced to shutter their windows.Greed can do many things. Greed has obviously blinded some of these people and has caused them to ignore their own state constitution. This article at least has the mention of what may become the issue of this legal battle. The only mention is this : "Backers of Amendment 20 point out that the law does reference dispensing of the drug". The wording of the law is very specific and, in fact, uses the word "dispense" as an integral part of the definition of the law. The word games continue as some politicians continue to ignore the will of the people and force their own moral convictions on the same people they spoke lies to in order to become elected. The time to stop this is now. The power is in the hands of the people and the people need to let their voices be heard in crystal clear ringing tones of defiance and vote these pumped up peacocks out of office. Show the politicians that we are interested in more than facebook, twitter, the stock market, and the myriad diversions from the important topics.
[ Post Comment ]
Comment #1 posted by HempWorld on April 26, 2010 at 18:15:23 PT
"prevent people from out-of-state moving to Colora
do to open a dispensary."Huh? What? I thought this was a free country?!"My intention is to get the thugs and the knuckleheads out of the business,"Then why do a background check?I could go on and on, voter ban? Then why do you have elections in the 1st place ...Etc. etc.
[ Post Comment ]
Post Comment