In Colorado, marijuana remains legal for certain medical conditions, but a new law signed in June by Governor Bill Ritter allows for cities and counties to ban the operation of medical marijuana dispensaries. More than 40 Colorado jurisdictions voted on local rules concerning medical marijuana in the recent mid-term elections.
Several municipalities voted to ban dispensaries, including Aurora, Loveland, Broomfield, Jamestown, Windsor, Olathe, Paonia and Mesa Counties. Denver criminal defense lawyers with experience handling drug cases say the ban could send mixed messages to medical marijuana patients, since the ban eliminates safe access to medicine by patients.
The debate regarding safe access to medical marijuana will continue, as advocacy groups push for decriminalization and eventual legalization. With the narrow defeat of Prop 19 in California, Colorado could very well be the next battleground for the decriminalization/legalization of marijuana.
To read more see KMGH online article.
