RESIDENTS REACT TO PROPOSED MEDICAL MARIJUANA DISPENSARY

Upon hearing that a local man plans to open a medical marijuana
dispensary in Craig, residents and community leaders seem split in
their opinions.

Although many said they are concerned about keeping marijuana away
from children and those who would consume it recreationally, they
also expressed an open mind toward marijuana's medical benefits.

Matt Beckett, director of the Moffat County Grand Futures Prevention
Coalition, said he would like to be involved in city discussions
about how to regulate dispensaries but that he has seen medical
marijuana's benefits.

"We would want some requirements about responsible ownership and
making sure it was nowhere near schools or places kids hang out,"
Beckett said. "Personally, I don't have anything against the medical
use of marijuana. I had a grandfather that had cancer, and they
prescribed it for appetite. It definitely has uses."

The Craig City Council plans to have two meetings about the issue
Tuesday evening, one during a public workshop at 5:30 p.m. and
another during its regular meeting at 7:30 p.m.

Shaun Hadley, the resident interested in opening a local dispensary
with his business partner from Longmont, plans to address the
council during its regular meeting.

Both meetings will occur at Craig City Hall, 300 W. Fourth St.

Other people besides Beckett plan to be involved in the process.

Doug Wood, pastor of Craig Christian Church, said he thinks
marijuana has medical uses, but not many.

Complicating the issue is that the state's regulatory system makes
it easy for someone to fraudulently obtain marijuana, Wood said.

"If it's truly a medical situation, I wouldn't have a problem with
it," he said. "In different communities, I've seen it abused in the past."

Wood added that he and the church plan to closely watch what
happens, and if it seems a dispensary isn't necessary in Craig, he'd
like the community to avoid opening one.

Not all residents plan to be as involved, however.

Joel Sheridan, board chairman for Communities Overcoming Meth Abuse,
said his organization wants to focus its efforts on methamphetamine
and does not have a position on medical marijuana.

"If we tried to tackle everything, we wouldn't be able to do
anything," Sheridan said.

He added that he personally thinks marijuana does not seem to be as
threatening to people, their families and communities as meth,
though he's also not convinced marijuana has any medicinal value.

State Sen. Al White, R-Hayden, somewhat agreed with Sheridan's view,
but he said there is ample evidence that marijuana can be dangerous
as a gateway drug, as well.

Either way, he does not plan to introduce any new legislation during
the 2010 session to further regulate medicinal marijuana, though the
current system seems to put a burden on local communities.

The state has no regulations governing so-called caregivers -- those
selected by marijuana patients to grow and supply their marijuana --
or dispensaries, such as the one planned in Craig.

Since the State Board of Health rejected a motion July 20 to limit
the number of marijuana patients one person could have, larger scale
dispensaries have popped up across the state, said Mark Salley,
Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment spokesman.

Without a limit on the number of patients a caregiver can supply, it
seems to be more viable for caregivers to open dispensary
storefronts for larger numbers of customers, Salley said.

White said he doesn't think the Legislature has the power to do
anything more with medical marijuana.

"I don't think we have the authority to regulate something the
federal government classifies as illegal," the senator said.

At the same time, he knows marijuana dispensaries are not a small issue.

"It seems like most towns across my district are getting into the
same thing," White said. "It's not something unique to Craig. It's
everywhere right now."

Medical marijuana itself is not new to Northwest Colorado.

The Department of Health reports there are 12 registered marijuana
patients in Moffat County, as well as 34 in Routt County and seven
in Rio Blanco County.

Although some Craig physicians did not return phone calls or refused
to comment, Dr. Joel Miller, of High Country Medical, said he has
recommended "a couple of people" for medical marijuana in the past.

"If the person has the right indicators, those that are listed in
the law like glaucoma or pain, it works really well," Miller said.

He added he thinks the state system allows many people to consume
marijuana recreationally instead of for specific treatments.

Still, he said he thinks a local marijuana dispensary could be
valuable to some.

"It'd be a good idea for the people who need it," Miller said. "For
them, it'd be a good thing."