Pubdate: Wed, 11 Jun 2014
Source: Denver Post (CO)
Copyright: 2014 The Denver Post Corp
Contact:  http://www.denverpost.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/122
Author: Kurtis Lee
Page: 7A

HICKENLOOPER TALKS POT, PLANES AT ANNUAL MEETING

Colorado Springs - Gov. John Hickenlooper called recreational
marijuana the "great social experiment of the 21st century" as he
joined his gubernatorial counterparts in a panel discussion Tuesday
about issues that impact Western states.

"There are risks that we're just beginning to understand, and there
should be caution," said Hickenlooper of marijuana legalization during
his address to attendees of the Western Governors' Association annual
meeting at the Broadmoor hotel.

Asked about deaths associated with marijuana edibles and a recent New
York Times piece by columnist Maureen Dowd in which she wrote about a
bad experience getting high, Hickenlooper noted that lawmakers this
past session passed a measure requiring the state's department of
revenue to explore ways to clearly identify edible-marijuana products
and proper dosages.

"We'll get it worked out," he said. "I guarantee by the time the
legislative session begins next year, we will not have those same problems."

Hickenlooper, the current chairman of the association, was joined for
the panel discussion Tuesday by a bipartisan group of governors,
including Steve Bullock of Montana, Matt Mead of Wyoming and Brian
Sandoval of Nevada.

The group discussed issues such as new rules announced by the
Environmental Protection Agency last week that set a goal of cutting
carbon pollution by 30 percent nationwide, as well as droughts and
wildfires.

President Barack Obama on Monday spoke with the governors via
telephone to discuss new funding strategies to fight wildfires - a
persistent problem that is expected to worsen in Colorado in the
decades to come, officials say. Colorado this year set aside about $20
million to contract for an aerial fleet to fight wildfires.

Hickenlooper, a Democrat, joked that the other governors on the panel
will now want to borrow Colorado's aircraft and that the state "will
be generous" with helping out.

Bullock, a Democrat, said Montana each year sets aside money to fight
wildfires, which he said "are almost always certain." Sandoval, a
Republican, noted that about 80 percent of Nevada is federal land.

"Because of that, there has to be proportional contribution from the
federal government," said Sandoval. "We can't afford to buy planes to
put out fires on federal land."

The annual meeting wraps up Wednesday with the election of Sandoval as
the new chairman. Many national observers view him as a rising star
within the GOP.
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MAP posted-by: Matt