Pubdate: Wed, 16 Dec 2009
Source: Daily Camera (Boulder, CO)
Copyright: 2009 The Daily Camera.
Contact:  http://www.dailycamera.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/103
Author: Erika Stutzman

MORE POT, NOT MORE CLARITY

State Needs To Address Medical Marijuana

The Colorado Board of Health will meet today, and its  agenda items
include a discussion about hospice care,  rules about fees, and a
review of a tobacco settlement  report.

The elephant in the room will be what they had  originally planned to
meet about: Medical marijuana.  That meeting has been put on hold.

Though medical pot was authorized by Colorado voters in  2000, it has
been 2009 that has been our most  interesting year -- clouded by
confusion on who can  have pot, whether they should be prosecuted
(given that  marijuana is still considered illegal by an  increasingly
pot-neutral federal government) and who  can sell it.

It's the sellers, who they are and where they can  legally operate,
that should be addressed by the state.  A hodgepodge of large, small
and downright tiny  municipalities are spending an inordinate amount
of  time focused on medical marijuana these days. Some  clarity and
guidance could keep the whole  voter-approved and compassionate
amendment from --  forgive the expression -- going to pot.

CNN reports that between 2000 and 2008, the state  issued about 2,000
medical marijuana cards to patients.  That number has grown to more
than 60,000 in the last  year. Proponents of reform have pointed out
that it's  easier to legally sell pot -- which is for medical use  --
than it is to legally sell liquor, which is legal  for those 21 and
older, no illness required.

Amendment 20 did not legalize marijuana in Colorado.  Clarity about
the law and who can sell pot will be the  only thing that can salvage
it for patients. 
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MAP posted-by: Jo-D