Pubdate: Wed, 09 Oct 2013
Source: Colorado Springs Independent (CO)
Copyright: 2013 Colorado Springs Independent
Contact:  http://www.csindy.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1536
Author: Joshua Hutton
Column: CannaBiz

DJS PARTY ON FRIDAY, REPUBLICANS GET HIGH AND MORE

Ones and twos

How much pot is too much pot? If you have to ask that question, not
much pot at all. But whether you're a bright-eyed newbie with a pinch
hitter and a penchant for dubstep or a red-card-toting veteran with
love in your heart and chronic pain in your knees, you're invited to a
ganja-centric birthday party for DJ Chris Diablo at Speak Easy Vape
Lounge (2508 E. Bijou St., 445-9083) on Friday, Oct. 11.

Beginning at 8 p.m., live sets from six popular DJs, including DJ
Staxx and DJ Natural Nate, will keep partiers entertained as they do
whatever people do at a cannabis club.

Swag - blown glass, T-shirts and CDs - will be raffled off; guests
must be older than 21; admission is $10 and does not require an MMJ
card.

Money memo

As Jan. 1 approaches and recreational-marijuana stores look to become
a reality, existing medical-marijuana centers that intend to convert
are seeking banking support to handle the influx of customers.

To that end, last week, Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper and Washington
Gov. Jay Inslee co-authored a letter to federal financial officials,
asking for a solution to the banking blockade on marijuana businesses.
The governors argued that marijuana shops need banking services and
the ability to process credit cards in order to "accurately track
funds, prevent criminal involvement and promote public safety."

Under federal pressure, banks have consistently refused to work with
marijuana businesses in the past.

Grand Old Party

The Marijuana Policy Project released a video titled "Young
Republicans Yearbook" on YouTube on Sept. 27. The video features
prominent members of the Republican Party who have admitted that - at
one point or another - they smoked some bud. Surprises include Newt
Gingrich, Rush Limbaugh and Rick Santorum, and while they probably
weren't any fun to smoke with, it's nice to know these guys are human
after all.

"Our goal is not to embarrass these prominent conservatives. About
half of the American population has used marijuana at some point
during their lives," Mason Tvert, communications director for the MPP,
says in a release. "Being arrested for using marijuana can lead to
life-altering consequences, but fortunately for these highly
successful individuals that was not the case for them."

Keef crumbs

In the third quarter of the fiscal year, retail sales of medical
marijuana in El Paso County reached $12.51 million, according to state
records. The county garnered $349,999 in sales tax, bringing the
totals for the year thus far, in retail and sales tax, to $36,106,870
and $1,001,808, respectively.
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MAP posted-by: Matt