Pubdate: Fri, 23 Aug 2013
Source: Vail Daily (CO)
Copyright: 2013 Vail Daily
Contact: http://drugsense.org/url/wo3Ts7AI
Website: http://www.vaildaily.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3233
Author: Buddy Sims

STOP THE POT SHOPS

On Jan. 1, some of the existing "medical" marijuana centers will open
as both medical and retail marijuana establishments in Eagle County.
Before Oct. 1, our Eagle County commissioners will have an opportunity
to either approve or disapprove new county licensing and zoning
ordinances for these new establishments.

But what exactly are they approving in our neighborhoods per the new
state rules for the Marijuana Enforcement Division? A medical and
retail marijuana establishment by state definition means (1) a retail
marijuana store, (2) a retail marijuana cultivation facility, (3) a
retail marijuana products manufacturing facility, and (4) a retail
marijuana testing facility.

Most of these independent businesses will be located in separate
facilities per the new state laws and county zoning. So we will not
only have new establishments after state and county licensing, but
these other new businesses will also start appearing in other county-
or town-approved and zoned locations.

The Rocky Mountain High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area report on the
"Impact of Marijuana" in Colorado in August stated: "Colorado driving
fatalities were up, youth use up, adult use up, ER admittances up, out
of state interdictions up, and Postal Sevice shipments up." See
http://www.rmhidta.org for the full report.

Marijuana continues as a Schedule I substance under the Federal
Controlled Substance Act and will be illegal at the federal government
level until the cows come home. State laws do not trump federal law.
Our county zoning marijuana ordinances are therefore all illegal under
federal law, no matter what our county attorney says.

These new establishments, under the new proposed county zoning, will
be prohibited from locating within 200 feet from our schools,
residences or parks. Now that took dedicated staff work in helping out
these new businesses, but what about the residents?

With the new laws, every foreign guest with a passport or out of state
tourist with an ID will be able to buy 1/4 ounce of marijuana every
day from every marijuana establishment in Eagle County. Only the
county sheriff will have enforcement actions if they have the time and
manpower.

Of course, the new "open container" marijuana state law may be keeping
all law enforcement busy. Our county government does not have a
marijuana inspection division and leaves that task up to the state
Department of Revenue out of Grand Junction. The recent July
"Marijuana Audit Report for Denver City and County Government" has
actually lost track of 63 of the 739 medical marijuana centers. That
should be a caution to the residents in Eagle County.

One estimate says the state of Colorado could generate as much as $91
million a year from sales taxes on marijuana the first year, though
official estimates from the Legislature put the revenue at $60
million. Meanwhile, legislative analysts project it would cost less
than $15 million to regulate the industry.

Those are the reported facts. However, do the residents of Eagle
County really want more marijuna establishments and the additional
marijuana businesses opening in our family ski resort environment? We
approved "medical marijuana" several years ago, and those needing
their medicine are now being supplied by a small controllable number
of businesses.

In November, there will be a new Colorado ballot issue that will ask
us to approve a new 30 percent retail and excise tax on retail
marijuana - 15 percent on the retail seller and 15 percent on the
facility grower to pay for the $15 million new Colorado Department of
Revenue staff that will run this program. The first $40 million of
revenue will go to school construction projects.

Now isn't that a twist, using potential illegal drug tax money to fund
our schools?

Soon our county commissioners will vote to approve or disapprove these
new marijuana businesses.

I would ask residents to write emails, letters, faxes, public
appearances at Board of Commissioners meetings to convince our
commissioners to vote to ban marijuana establishments in
unincorporated Eagle County. Contact the commissioners  or fax 970-328-8629.

I would also suggest all voters to say "no" to the 30 percent tax on
retail marijuana.

Without the cash, our state government can not support any
recreational marijuana establishments. No money, no new marijuana 
businesses.

If no action is taken by the voters in Eagle County, then expect these
new marijuana facilities to be opening in your neighborhoods!

Buddy Sims

Edwards
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MAP posted-by: Matt