Pubdate: Sat, 05 Sep 2009
Source: Steamboat Pilot & Today, The (CO)
Copyright: 2009 The Steamboat Pilot & Today
Contact: http://www2.steamboatpilot.com/staff/scott_stanford/contact/
Website: http://www2.steamboatpilot.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1549
Author: Sarah Mausolf, Staff Writer

VAIL COMMISSIONERS PLAN TO VOTE ON POT DISPENSARIES TUESDAY

Vail -- Buddy Sims doesn't want pot shops in Colorado's  Vail Valley.

"I have no objection to patients that get doctors'  permits and need
medical marijuana for chronic pain,"  the 64-year-old Edwards resident
said. "My concern is  that I feel these marijuana stores are going to
draw  off Interstate 70 types of people that are buying  marijuana
that we don't want here and the crime will  follow."

Sims has been trying to mobilize people to lobby for a  ban on medical
marijuana dispensaries at Tuesday's  county commissioners' meeting.
Commissioners on Tuesday  plan to vote on temporary rules that limit
where  dispensaries can operate. The 30-day rule would forbid 
dispensaries from opening within 200 feet of schools,  and would go
into effect immediately after the vote.  Sims thinks the county should
take it a step further.

"I'd like to see some concerned citizens show up and  voice their
opinions to the county commissioners to  make this a permanent ban,"
he said.

Black market fears

Sims fears a black market for the medical marijuana  could sprout up
in town.

"I don't want to see the black market trade started  here, with people
buying this marijuana with medical  cards and then giving it to other
people who are  splitting it and cutting it and selling it," he said. 
"I don't want to see it get into the high school or  elementary system
anymore then it probably already is  now."

With only 69 people in Eagle County registered for  legal cards for
medical marijuana, Sims argues  dispensaries will need to attract
customers from  elsewhere. As a result, the dispensaries could draw 
unsavory people cruising along I-70, he argues.

"Why would you have three stores for 69 customers?" he  said. "The
customers have to be coming off of  Interstate 70 or someplace else in
Colorado. They're  not all not living here."

The game plan

With three medical marijuana dispensaries open or  poised to open in
Eagle County, officials want to buy  some time while they figure out
what to do about the  shops.

"I want to make sure we have a game plan in place  before people are
spending funds to set up  dispensaries," County Commissioner Sara
Fisher said.

The 30-day regulations facing commissioners would  confine
dispensaries to commercial and industrial  zoning districts in the
county. It also forbids medical  marijuana sales within 200 feet of
schools, parks,  child care facilities, churches, drug rehabilitation 
facilities or community centers.

It would not apply to dispensaries that have already  opened in
Edwards and Eagle-Vail.

"Based on this they would not have to shut down,"  county Attorney
Bryan Treu said.

The 30-day rules would not apply to proposed  dispensaries where
owners have spent significant money  on supplies or building
renovations in preparation for  opening, Treu said. Simply signing a
lease does not  exempt a proposed dispensary from the rules though, he
 said.

Existing dispensaries may be subject to any future,  permanent
regulations the county imposes on medical  marijuana shops, Treu said.
Exactly what rules the  county will impose on dispensaries remains to
be seen.

"We've already heard feedback from folks on both sides  of the issue,"
Fisher said. "Because it's not currently  specifically addres -sed in
Colorado statute, and it's  illegal from a federal standpoint still,
we want to  have the research done and the dialogue to be had as a 
community before making a determination on what, how or  if we will
set any kind of long-term regulations." 
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MAP posted-by: Richard R Smith Jr