Pubdate: Sun, 14 Feb 2010
Source: Daily Times-Call, The (Longmont, CO)
Copyright: 2010, The Daily Times-Call
Contact:  http://www.timescall.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1475
Author: Doug Pike
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/topic/dispensaries
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?253 (Cannabis - Medicinal - U.S.)

ERIE COULD EXPAND POT BAN

ERIE -- The town of Erie's moratorium on medical marijuana businesses 
could be extended until the Colorado State Legislature rules on the issue.

Erie Board of Trustees members expressed frustration Tuesday with 
their inability to act on dispensaries until the state outlines its 
regulations and designates what authority individual municipalities 
will have over dispensaries and growing operations within their borders.

"Another six-month moratorium is probably all we can claim without 
setting up our own rules," town administrator Mike Acimovic said 
Tuesday. Erie is midway through its initial six-month moratorium. 
"We're hoping the Legislature does something to give the town 
guidance in this area."

Because there isn't an exact timeline for the Legislature to dictate 
on the issue, municipalities like Erie are forced to weigh their 
limited options in the interim.

Trustee Paul Ogg questioned the town's ability to formalize the process.

"Is there a way the town of Erie can declare that medical marijuana 
can only be dispensed from a licensed pharmacist?" Ogg asked. "Is 
there some law that we have that relies on some external standard? 
That's what I would like to see explored."

Pharmacists are regulated by the state; the town doesn't have the 
power to regulate them. Erie's legal adviser said the real question 
is what's going to come out of the Legislature, because Erie is a 
statutory town and will essentially be "a creature of that state legislation."

The possibility of taxing medical marijuana, zoning dispensary 
locations and restricting patient and dispensary numbers are issues 
that surfaced Tuesday and may be revisited by the board.

"I want to be aggressive about this, but I want to be aggressive 
after the state weighs in," Mayor Andrew Moore said. "It could be 
next week that they give us clarification, or it could be months from now."

A special Consortium of Cities meeting March 2 will bring together 
municipalities to discuss options.

Erie trustees will revisit the issue Feb. 23. 
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake