CONCERNING REGULATION OF MEDICAL MARIJUANA.
When the voters approved Amendment XX in 2000, they authorized people suffering chronic illness or pain to use marijuana for medicinal purposes. They said if an authorized user couldn’t grow their own (or chose not to grow their own) a caregiver could do it for them. In recent years caregiver has morphed into a dispensary model, which allows a dispensary to act as a caregiver for an unlimited number of patients.
HB 10-1284 draws a distinction between caregivers and dispensaries. Since many don’t believe that the voters meant dispensaries when they approved caregivers to provide,
HB 1284 allows local governments the authority to ban dispensaries or put the question to a vote of the people.
In addition, the bill creates the medical marijuana licensing authority (state licensing authority) in the department of revenue. The state licensing authority grants, refuses, or renews a medical marijuana center license after the licensee has received local approval. The state licensing authority also administers aspects of medical marijuana licensure, including rulemaking. Many of the functions and duties of the state licensing authority are similar to those held by the state licensing.
Signed into law by the Governor 6/7/10