Pubdate: Thu, 14 Mar 2013
Source: Washington Times (DC)
Copyright: 2013 The Washington Times, LLC.
Contact:  http://www.washingtontimes.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/492
Author: Valerie Richardson
Page: A6

COLORADO DRAWS UP RULES FOR LEGAL POT

Panel Believes 'Very Strict Regulatory Framework' Will Ease Feds' Concerns

DENVER - A Colorado marijuana task force presented its proposed 
regulations to the state Legislature on Wednesday that the group's 
chairman says should alleviate the federal government's concerns 
about allowing states to legalize adult recreational marijuana.

Jack Finlaw, co-chairman of the Amendment 64 Implementation Task 
Force, said the 165-page report includes recommendations on 
regulations, fees, taxes and safeguards that cover an exhaustive host 
of issues.

"I think the federal government needs to know that we are endorsing a 
very rigid, very strict regulatory framework," said Mr. Finlaw at a 
news conference. "I believe if we can convince [them] that we are 
able to do all of that, they'll take the same attitude toward adult 
use recreational marijuana that they have toward medical marijuana."

Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. has yet to announce whether he 
will permit Colorado and Washington to legalize marijuana after 
voters in both states passed ballot measures in November allowing the 
recreational use of marijuana for adults 21 and older.

Given the lack of federal input, both states are proceeding with 
creating a regulatory framework for the cultivation, distribution and 
sale of marijuana, modeled on the rules now governing the sale of 
liquor and tobacco.

The Colorado Legislature has formed a joint committee charged with 
reviewing the task force's report and passing marijuana regulations. 
Colorado already has laws and rules in place governing the 
cultivation, distribution and sale of medical marijuana.

The task force's 58 recommendations include requiring companies to 
have common ownership "from seed to sale," and allowing only Colorado 
residents to grow, process and sell marijuana. At the same time, the 
report recommends allowing out-of-state visitors to purchase 
marijuana, known as "marijuana tourism."

The report also calls for childproof packaging on all types of 
marijuana sold, and warning labels that disclose the content of THC, 
the active ingredient in marijuana, as well as a ban on mass-market 
advertising that could reach those not yet 21.

Mr. Finlaw said the task force, which spent two months drawing up the 
proposed regulations, struggled with the issue of whether to allow 
open and public consumption of marijuana, either through smoking or 
with marijuana edibles like brownies.

"I think half of the task force thought people should be able to 
smoke marijuana on their front or back porch, and the other half 
thought that maybe they should not be able to do that," said Mr. 
Finlaw, who also serves as legal counsel to Colorado Gov. John 
Hickenlooper. "Hopefully an agreement can be reached during the 
legislative process."

One subject on which Colorado and Washington have diverged is on the 
amount of the marijuana tax. Washington is considering a 75 percent 
total excise tax, while Colorado's Amendment 64 calls for a 15 
percent excise tax. The Colorado task force also has endorsed a 
separate marijuana sales tax, although the report has no firm 
recommendation on how much.

Set the tax too high, and "a black market could persist," Mr. Finlaw said.

The report leaves questions such as whether to allow marijuana social 
clubs for city and county governments to decide. The Denver City 
Council is now considering whether to permit licensing for such clubs.

In Washington, the state's Liquor Control Board is developing rules 
for adult recreational-marijuana use.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom