CSU GARDEN EXPERTS MUM ON GROWING POT

Colorado's top gardening experts have been ordered to ignore
questions about how to grow medical marijuana over fears they could
lose their federal funding.

Employees of CSU's Extension service have been advised by university
lawyers that because marijuana remains an illegal drug under federal
law, they cannot be involved with it. That means, according to the
lawyers, no advice, no opinions and definitely no pot in their offices.

Colorado State University spokesman Brad Bohlander said "several"
extension offices received inquires from would-be marijuana growers.
He said the conflict between Colorado's Amendment 20 and federal law
prompted CSU to issue the new guidelines.

"Some of the agents didn't want anything to do with it," Bohlander said.

Extension agents of CSU have offices in almost every county and
provide a conduit between academia and the state's agricultural
community. Extension also certifies "master gardeners" who give yard
and gardening advice.

Master gardener Bill Ciesla of Fort Collins said no one has asked him
for marijuana-growing advice, and he said he wouldn't offer any.

"I wouldn't touch it," Ciesla said.

Under Colorado's voter-approved Amendment 20, Colorado residents can
grow and consume small amounts of marijuana for medical reasons.
That's created a booming business: Marijuana is easy to grow, but
raising and harvesting potent pot requires expertise, according to
marijuana dispensary owners.

Dispensary owners say the majority of the marijuana they sell is
grown locally, generally under grow lights in garages, warehouses and
basements. Amendment 20 has also spawned the opening of stores
selling the grow lights and hydroponic systems favored by marijuana growers.

Master gardeners share CSU-published research and recommendations,
but Ciesla said the extension service hasn't yet published any
pot-growing guidelines.

"And I don't envision CSU Extension publishing anything like that,"
Ciesla said.

The extension service also offers diagnostic services for gardeners,
who can bring in unhealthy plants to learn what's causing the problems.

In the memo, CSU lawyers noted that the university is a drug-free
workplace and said any marijuana brought in to extension offices will
be turned over to authorities for destruction. The attorneys noted
that any extension employees or master gardeners ignoring the rules
and aiding marijuana growers will assume "personal liability" for any
legal action brought against them.

"The bottom line is that (under federal law) it's still illegal,"
Bohlander said.