ROMER PROPOSES STATE SUPPORT MEDICAL MARIJUANA INDUSTRY IN FEDERAL CASES

If federal authorities in the future prosecute Colorado's medical
cannibis growers and wholesalers, the state could pay to defend them
in court under a provision unveiled Sunday by state Sen. Chris Romer
at a Denver medical-marijuana health fair.

Romer, a Denver Democrat who is proposing legislation to regulate the
budding industry, wants to use a database to track growers and their
plants for health safety and law-enforcement purposes.

But growers have operated for decades under the radar and need
assurances before divulging identifying information that could later
be used against them, Romer said.

"If they come in as licensed growers according to our rules,
absolutely we should defend them," Romer said to a crowd of dozens
gathered to pose questions about his legislation. "They did what we
told them to do, and we should defend our citizens from the federal
government."

The planned addition to his legislation raises the spectre of costly
legal bills for the state.

To be effective, the law would have to provide full indemnity, said
Bud Hughes, a grower who also runs one of Colorado's larger marijuana
testing labs.

"They'd have to cover us for any amount," Hughes said.

Romer said putting the guaranteed state defense into law would likely
prevent frivolous federal cases.

The legislation met with skepticism from many at the fair for
everything from its limitations on medical-marijuana seekers younger
than 21 years old to its proposed 4,500 limit on the number of
clients one business owner can serve over a maximum of three locations.

Mark Rose, a grower and caretaker in Nederland, said he worries most
about the regulations that would drive up costs for patients, as he
thinks participating in Romer's database tracking would.

Rose said he is not worried about federal prosecution himself but
acknowledged Romer's vow would put some at ease.

"It will help build trust," he said. "The state should back the
people following the rules. A lot of people fear that kind of stuff."