Pubdate: Sun, 11 Apr 2010
Source: Montrose Daily Press (CO)
Copyright: 2010 Montrose Daily Press
Contact: http://drugsense.org/url/E2QhcPnX
Website: http://www.montrosepress.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/4108

A REASONABLE APPROACH

Colorado voters were clear when they approved medical  marijuana in
2000. Alas, the amendment was not.

Although Amendment 20 allows people with defined  medical conditions
to obtain medicinal marijuana from  caregivers, there's precious
little by way of  regulation. Some critics say the amendment didn't
envision caregivers running marijuana dispensaries,  which are popping
up all across the state.

Local governments are left to fill the void aE" often  stumbling in
the dark, without direction or clarity  from the state, and with high
risk of legal action  should they misstep.

Medical marijuana, after all, is legal, and the will of  the people
made it so. Government cannot do end-runs  around the will of the
people by deliberately stopping  legal dispensing of medical marijuana.

That's why Montrose County's recent attempt to address  the state's
"reefer madness" is welcome and reasonable.  Commissioners, backed by
the sheriff, voted last week  to implement a six-month moratorium on
medical  marijuana centers in unincorporated Montrose County.

The hope is that the Legislature will fix some of the  problems that
have cropped up as medical marijuana  centers and the state's medical
marijuana registry have  grown. 
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MAP posted-by: Jo-D