Pubdate: Wed, 24 Feb 2016
Source: Colorado Springs Independent (CO)
Column: CannaBiz
Copyright: 2016 Colorado Springs Independent
Contact:  http://www.csindy.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1536
Author: Nat Stein

COUNTY COMMISSIONERS TO MARIJUANA BUSINESSES: GREEN CROSSES HAVE GOT TO GO

Green cross-out

Say goodbye to those green crosses hung outside medical marijuana 
centers in unincorporated El Paso County. According to the Board of 
County Commissioners, the ubiquitous signage was simply too confusing 
for clueless tourists. So early this month, they voted to ban them altogether.

The fear, apparently, was that out-of-state tourists would confuse 
dispensaries for pharmacies, given that's what the signage means in Europe.

Darryl Glenn proposed the resolution in January. "[They're] there but 
you don't even think about it," he said back then. "I believe it is 
important enough to potentially take action."

Devin Vargas, store lead at New Age Medical, thinks it's nonsense 
that anyone would ever mistake a medical marijuana center for a pharmacy.

"Yeah, there's never confusion like that. That's crazy," he told Fox 
21. "The only thing we get from the green crosses is people thinking 
that we're a recreational dispensary, and you know Colorado Springs 
is only medical."

The new rule applies to only four dispensaries operating outside 
municipalities. They'll have to change their signage when they renew 
their licenses.

County code already prohibits the words "marijuana" and "cannabis" on 
dispensary signage. Dispensaries in Colorado Springs are not affected.

Appeal filed

Phyllis Windy Hope and Michael Reilly, the Pueblo County landowners 
who sued everyone imaginable to shut down a neighboring indoor 
grow-op and pretty much Colorado's entire legal marijuana industry 
while they were at it, have filed a notice of appeal challenging a 
judge's dismissal of their case against public-sector defendants 
("Federal judge strikes down lawsuit against recreational marijuana."

The suit, backed by D.C.-based anti-legalization group Safe Streets 
Alliance, claimed that the "criminal enterprise" next door was 
lowering their property value and emitting an offensive odor.

The group sought treble damages from a father-son pair of dispensary 
owners, the grow operator, a developer, an insurance company, a water 
supplier, Pueblo County's marijuana licensing board, the county 
commissioners, the state Marijuana Enforcement Division, Department 
of Regulation and Gov. John Hickenlooper under the Racketeer 
Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act - a commonly misused federal 
law meant for prosecutors to go after mob bosses.

Judge Robert Blackburn last month rejected the argument that county 
and state officials are violating the federal Controlled Substances 
Act by licensing, regulating and taxing Colorado's voter-approved 
retail marijuana industry.

The appeal moves the case to federal appeals court in Denver, while 
the case against the private-sector defendants remains open.

Blocked

Facebook has been shuttering Facebook and Instagram accounts of 
marijuana businesses around the country, including Colorado-based 
Mary's Medicinals and Dixie Brands.

Even businesses tangentially linked to the industry - marketing 
agencies and apparel companies - have logged on to find cancellation 
notices, according to The Guardian.

The section of Facebook's "community standards" pertaining to the 
action reads: "We prohibit any attempts by unauthorized dealers to 
purchase, sell, or trade prescription drugs, marijuana, or firearms."

This is how Instagram (owned by Facebook) puts it: "Offering sexual 
services, buying or selling illegal or prescription drugs (even if 
it's legal in your region), as well as promoting recreational drug 
use is also not allowed."

Of course, there's no shortage of cannabis-related content on these 
platforms (just search #weed for a sample), which makes the social 
platforms' actions questionable.

But regardless of "why," this is hardly good news for an industry 
that relies heavily on social media to share updates and other information.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom