Pubdate: Thu, 28 Jun 2012
Source: Denver Post (CO)
Copyright: 2012 The Denver Post Corp
Contact:  http://www.denverpost.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/122
Author: Monte Whaley

FORT COLLINS WILL VOTE ON MEDICAL MARIJUANA DISPENSARIES- AGAIN

Fort Collins Voters in November will once again be asked to decide 
whether medical marijuana dispensaries have a place in their city.

A pro-medical pot group gathered enough signatures to place a measure 
on the ballot that asks that a ban on medical marijuana businesses be lifted.

Voters in November passed the ban on Fort Collins' 20 dispensaries by 
a ration of 53 percent to 47 percent.

But former dispensary owner Kirk Scramstad said that vote was not a 
true reflection of how most residents feel about medical marijuana. 
This November's election, which features a presidential vote, will 
likely draw more voters to the ballot box who will be more supportive 
of the measure, he said.

At least 4,214 valid signatures were needed to make the measure 
eligible for a vote, Voters in Nosaid acting City Clerk Rita Harris. 
vember passed

Scramstad and his the ban on Fort

group submitted Collins' 20 about 9,000 sigdispensaries. natures last 
week. Getty Images file The petition will now go to the City Council, 
which will likely decide in July to put it on the fall ballot, Harris said.

Critics of medical marijuana last fall said during their campaign 
that the dispensaries were contributing to rising marijuana use among 
the city's youths.

They are going to repeat those themes this year, said former Fort 
Collins Mayor Ray Martinez.

Detractors of medical marijuana are not against the legitimate use of 
pot for patients who need it, Martinez said. "It's the abuses of the 
system that we are against."

The proposed measure would establish a local board to monitor 
dispensaries and prohibit them within 1,000 feet of a school or a 
playground and within 500 feet of a church, child-care center or 
recreation site. The number of dispensaries would be limited to one 
for every 500 registered medial marijuana patients.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom