Pubdate: Sat, 12 Jan 2013
Source: Denver Post (CO)
Copyright: 2013 The Denver Post Corp
Contact:  http://www.denverpost.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/122
Author: Jason Pohl

POT SUBPANEL ONLY SCRATCHES SURFACE

Early Talks Address Sales, Licensing and Enforcement
Issues.

More than a dozen leaders from the Western Slope to the Front Range
tackled a host of recently surfaced community issues Friday, slowly
paving a clearer path for the implementation of Amendment 64 across
Colorado.

Although they didn't make any clear decisions, the Local Authority and
Control Working Group meeting started to address many questions and
concerns that municipalities have about the newly forming marijuana
industry. It was the first of several planned gatherings for the
group- a subset of the Amendment 64 Implementation Task Force.

The talks hinged on community enforcement, marijuana sales and shop
licensing - the most complicated of the topics discussed.

"We just need to treat this as an entrepreneurial business," said
Wanda James, a marijuana industry proponent. "If we remove all of the
sexiness of marijuana and talk about it just as a regular product - as
a regular business - I think it becomes much more simple."

Among the group's questions was the issue of whether there should be
unlimited grow licenses or if only the strongest, most established
operations should supply smaller pot shops.

James repeatedly said it would be like running a restaurant and
purchasing vegetables from one supplier and meat from another,
ultimately to sell to a customer base.

That was just one of the proposals, although many on the panel agreed
that without a careful approach, having thousands-potentially
millions-buying marijuana could run existing retailers' supplies dry.

Although the meeting occasionally strayed, one thing that emerged was
an understanding there are no easy answers on a subject spanning from
advertising restrictions-which could mirror tobacco or alcohol ads -
to taxing systems.

As those discussions continue, so do county decisions to preemptively
ban retail pot outlets and leaders desperately seeking direction. Many
at the meeting urged caution, saying that until a clearer picture is
painted, turning away potential revenue sources was dangerous and
unnecessary.

Larimer County Sheriff Justin Smith sees things differently.

"The challenge here is that there's a lot of ambiguity," he said after
learning of the panel's discussion. "I think from a practical
standpoint, it's easier to set tighter rules and loosen them."

Discussion items will be relayed to the Implementation Task Force,
which has its next meeting Jan. 22. The Local work group will meet
again Jan. 25 and begin crafting more detailed policy recommendations,
which will be included in the final Amendment 64 report.
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MAP posted-by: Jo-D