The Colorado medical marijuana bill 1284 that was signed by Governor Ritter has major deadlines that are fast approaching. The bill only allowed a few weeks to get business in order, which is presenting more problems than anyone anticipated. (Even though many problems were anticipated).
Here's a story from the Denver Daily News which outlines just one business Owner's dilemma of trying to become "legal" before the July 1st deadline. (Amazingly there is a display ad on the page of this article that reads "Argonaut Liquor - Denver's largest liquor store - Shop Online"!) Even though it is undisputed that marijuana is a much safer than alcohol. View the article here.
By July 1st a local license must be applied for as a statewide moratorium goes into effect on July 1st and the new bill specifically states you will be operating illegally if you don't apply for a license by July 1st. Yet others argue that the bill does not indicate there is a statewide moratorium. However, if you want to open a dispensary, or need to grow, because you already have a dispensary since the new law also now requires each dispensary to certify they are growing at least 70% of their own product. However if you can't find properly zoned space, or can't afford to rent from a landlord that is reading the newspapers and price gouging due to the deadlines then you may consider partnering with a complete stranger that has a grow in place. Not the best option, and certainly doomed for failure if you consider that if a grower has a grow in place, most believe they own and control that grow. They invested much time and energy in their grow. The only problem is the dispensary is on the hook for the license and the regulations, and the fines and taking all responsibility for that grow following the law. Sounds like a recipe for major power struggles. Regardless of what is written on paper, egos will clash, and certainly many will be doomed, merely because they were forced to join forces by ridiculous deadlines. Speaking of ridiculous deadlines the newly formed State medical marijuana department of regulation has a "hotline" to answer questions. The only problem..... "leave a message" is all you get when you call it. The recording states "we should have information on the website by mid June". It is June 29th we are adding this and it still is not on the website, however the State will surely doom dispensaries that don't meet their deadlines. Get ready for Government and it's lack of empathy.
The next deadline is August 1st, 2010. Each dispensary (now known as medical marijuana center) must register with the state. On forms that don't exist yet. HOWEVER, if your local license has not been approved by this deadline you can file later, as long as you file within 30 days of your local license being issued. If you are ALREADY licensed locally then you need to file by August 1st, 2010.
Lastly, as mentioned above all dispensaries must certify by September 1st, 2010 that they are cultivating 70% of their own marijuana. Patients are still allowed to go to any dispensary (medical marijuana center) they choose. So lets say you have a Denver Dispensary, with much walk-in traffic. Yet you don't have a lot of patients who have assigned you grow rights. That presents a problem. What is a dispensary to do if they get swamped with patients who are traveling to their town for a large function and they all swamp a small dispensary? Should they be turned away, because that dispensary can't grow enough to satisfy unexpected spikes in business? Bill 1284 adds more stress, pressure, and hoops to jump for these already struggling dispensary Owners. Mile High Medical Cannabis is a Denver Dispensary providing top shelf medical marijuana to medical marijuana patients... or ... actually we are a Medical Marijuana Center now.
