VAIL COMMISSIONERS PLAN TO VOTE ON POT DISPENSARIES TUESDAY

Vail -- Buddy Sims doesn't want pot shops in Colorado's Vail Valley.

"I have no objection to patients that get doctors' permits and need
medical marijuana for chronic pain," the 64-year-old Edwards resident
said. "My concern is that I feel these marijuana stores are going to
draw off Interstate 70 types of people that are buying marijuana
that we don't want here and the crime will follow."

Sims has been trying to mobilize people to lobby for a ban on medical
marijuana dispensaries at Tuesday's county commissioners' meeting.
Commissioners on Tuesday plan to vote on temporary rules that limit
where dispensaries can operate. The 30-day rule would forbid
dispensaries from opening within 200 feet of schools, and would go
into effect immediately after the vote. Sims thinks the county should
take it a step further.

"I'd like to see some concerned citizens show up and voice their
opinions to the county commissioners to make this a permanent ban,"
he said.

Black market fears

Sims fears a black market for the medical marijuana could sprout up
in town.

"I don't want to see the black market trade started here, with people
buying this marijuana with medical cards and then giving it to other
people who are splitting it and cutting it and selling it," he said.
"I don't want to see it get into the high school or elementary system
anymore then it probably already is now."

With only 69 people in Eagle County registered for legal cards for
medical marijuana, Sims argues dispensaries will need to attract
customers from elsewhere. As a result, the dispensaries could draw
unsavory people cruising along I-70, he argues.

"Why would you have three stores for 69 customers?" he said. "The
customers have to be coming off of Interstate 70 or someplace else in
Colorado. They're not all not living here."

The game plan

With three medical marijuana dispensaries open or poised to open in
Eagle County, officials want to buy some time while they figure out
what to do about the shops.

"I want to make sure we have a game plan in place before people are
spending funds to set up dispensaries," County Commissioner Sara
Fisher said.

The 30-day regulations facing commissioners would confine
dispensaries to commercial and industrial zoning districts in the
county. It also forbids medical marijuana sales within 200 feet of
schools, parks, child care facilities, churches, drug rehabilitation
facilities or community centers.

It would not apply to dispensaries that have already opened in
Edwards and Eagle-Vail.

"Based on this they would not have to shut down," county Attorney
Bryan Treu said.

The 30-day rules would not apply to proposed dispensaries where
owners have spent significant money on supplies or building
renovations in preparation for opening, Treu said. Simply signing a
lease does not exempt a proposed dispensary from the rules though, he
said.

Existing dispensaries may be subject to any future, permanent
regulations the county imposes on medical marijuana shops, Treu said.
Exactly what rules the county will impose on dispensaries remains to
be seen.

"We've already heard feedback from folks on both sides of the issue,"
Fisher said. "Because it's not currently specifically addres -sed in
Colorado statute, and it's illegal from a federal standpoint still,
we want to have the research done and the dialogue to be had as a
community before making a determination on what, how or if we will
set any kind of long-term regulations."