BROOMFIELD APPROVES SIX-MONTH HALT ON NEW MEDICAL MARIJUANA FACILITIES

Broomfield on Tuesday joined the list of Colorado cities to impose a
moratorium on the opening of medical marijuana dispensaries.

Broomfield City Council voted 9-to-1 to institute a 180-day
moratorium on the approval of any permits or licenses medical
marijuana dispensaries would need to legally operate in the city.

The measure will let the state Legislature sort out new laws or
regulations governing medical marijuana distribution before
Broomfield attempts to act, City and County Attorney Bill Tuthill said.

"As anyone can tell from reading the paper or watching the evening
news, this is a rapidly evolving area of the law," Tuthill said. "We
would like the opportunity to have the chance to assess both
legislative changes ... and we'd also like to assess the different
models that may exist for regulating medical marijuana in cities and towns."

About three dozen people turned out for the hearing, although only
one person testified.

Broomfield resident Jeremy De Pinto spoke in opposition to the
moratorium and said he was concerned it was a smokescreen while the
city prepared to ban dispensaries.

"You guys are going to do whatever you are going to do anyway," De Pinto said.

De Pinto said a ban would force medical marijuana users to obtain
marijuana illegally from drug dealers.

"What you guys are going to put a ban on is safe places for us
patients to get our medicines," he said.

Several council members said De Pinto's interpretation of their
intentions was wrong.

The moratorium "does not mean that we are never, ever going to have
medical marijuana in Broomfield," Councilman Todd Schumacher said.
"It means if we do it in Broomfield, we'll do it in a careful and
thoughtful way."

"It's not a condemnation of medical marijuana," he said.

Sam Taylor, the only council member to vote against the moratorium,
said Broomfield is taking too long to institute a policy.

"Six months is a little too long, and I think we need to move faster
than that."

Mayor Pro Tem Walt Spader said the moratorium was a de facto deadline.

"It's telling the staff we expect some answers back in six months,"
Spader said. "This isn't an attempt to drag this out."

Currently, Broomfield has one known medical marijuana provider. North
Metro Caregivers is operated out of a mobile home in the Front Range
mobile home park.

The city believes North Metro Caregivers is operating in violation of
the Broomfield Municipal Code, but it is treating its violations as a
code compliance problem, Tuthill said. It continues to distribute marijuana.

North Metro Caregiver's fate was not discussed by council members.

"We may end up asking him to cease his operations," Tuthill said
after the meeting.