Pubdate: Mon, 28 Feb 2011 Source: Daily Reporter-Herald (Loveland, CO) Copyright: 2011 The Daily Reporter-Herald Contact: http://www.reporterherald.com/customerservice/forms/openforum.asp Website: http://www.reporterherald.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1710 Author: Tom Hacker MEDICAL MARIJUANA DISPENSARIES CHALLENGE BAN A Denver lawyer said late Monday he had filed suit in Larimer District Court, on behalf of three Loveland medical marijuana dispensaries and their patients, challenging the city's ban on medical pot that takes effect today. Robert Corry Jr., who has filed similar actions elsewhere in Colorado, e-mailed a copy of his complaint to the Loveland Reporter-Herald and to City Attorney John Duval after close of business on Monday. His clients include Rocky Mountain Kind LLC, 1710 West Eisenhower Blvd.; Magic's Emporium LLC, 2432 East 13th St.; and Colorado Canna Care LLC, 129 S. Cleveland Ave. Also named as plaintiffs are "John and Jane Does" who are "individuals diagnosed with debilitating medical conditions who have been advised by their physicians that they might benefit from the medical use of marijuana." The suit said patients "will suffer imminent and irreparable injury if they are unable to locate their medicine." Corry's suit seeks a temporary restraining order that would allow the plaintiff companies to continue their business. "Loveland's sweeping ban of medical marijuana centers does not fit within the constitutionally recognized and permitted "time, place, and manner" restrictions applied to other constitutional rights such as free speech," the suit says. "Thus, the City's ban is unconstitutional, because it unduly burdens patients and caregivers from exercising their constitutionally protected rights" under the state's constitutional amendment authorizing the use of medical marijuana. Neither Corry nor Duvall could be reached for comment on the complaint. Loveland voters in November overwhelmingly approved a ballot measure that gave medical marijuana businesses until today to close. - --- MAP posted-by: Richard R Smith Jr.