Pubdate: Wed, 11 Feb 2015
Source: Colorado Springs Independent (CO)
Column: CannaBiz
Copyright: 2015 Colorado Springs Independent
Contact:  http://www.csindy.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1536
Author: Griffin Swartzell

TAX PREPARERS OK TO WORK WITH RMJ; BILLS COMING AND GOING; MORE

Toking & taxes

It's tax season, and the IRS' Office of Professional Responsibility 
has some guidance for tax-prep professionals working with 
recreational marijuana retailers.

According to Kathy Bylkas, an enrolled agent for the Springs agency 
Your TaxLady, businesses can deduct expenses for growing and 
wholesale costs, but not retail costs - advertising, sales staff, 
etc. So long as tax preparers don't help marijuana retailers 
reclassify retail costs as wholesale, and so long as all income gets 
declared, she says the IRS won't punish tax preparers for working 
with dispensaries.

Pot & politics

It's not exactly a call for reclassification, but it's notable that 
in a Feb. 4 interview with CBS, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy 
said, "There is some preliminary data showing that for certain 
medical conditions and symptoms that marijuana can be helpful." He 
noted that his position is based on available data, and that he hopes 
to see more research on marijuana as a medicine.

"I think that we have to use that data to drive policy decisions," 
Murthy said, "and I'm very interested to see where that takes us."

Weed & welfare

On Monday, Feb. 9, the Colorado Senate passed a bill to ban 
withdrawal of EBT funds from ATMs at dispensaries and strip clubs. 
The bill, SB15-65, is currently waiting for House of Representatives approval.

Last year, a similar bill was defeated by House Democrats, who were 
concerned about people living in poor neighborhoods with limited 
access to ATMs, according to a January 2014 Pueblo Chieftain article.

The bill's sponsors told the Denver Post they were concerned that 
Colorado might lose some federal welfare funds if it could be proven 
that said money was going to marijuana. Rep. Dan Nordberg, R-Colorado 
Springs, the bill's main House sponsor, told the Post he doesn't 
think the Democrats' concern about poor neighborhoods with limited 
access to ATMs outside of dispensaries is valid.

According to a Feb. 6 FOX21 story, no marijuana industry group has 
taken a stance against the bill.

Marijuana & maternity

The Colorado House Committee on Public Health Care and Human Services 
has indefinitely postponed a bill - HB15-1036 - that would require 
dispensaries to warn consumers about the risks of using marijuana 
while pregnant. Specifically, the bill would mandate standardized 
signage, and "prohibit a medical marijuana center agent or employee 
from recommending medical marijuana to a pregnant woman."

According to tweets from Kristen Wyatt of the Colorado Associated 
Press, the sponsor, Rep. Jack Tate, R-Centennial, has agreed to pull 
his bill and try again.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom