MEDICAL-MARIJUANA SURVEY: NEARLY HALF THINK RULES 'WELL BALANCED'

Boulder residents are largely divided on how far the city should go
to regulate medical-marijuana dispensaries, according to a new survey.

The city on Wednesday released the results of a month-long online
survey about how people feel about medical marijuana being grown and
sold in Boulder.

It was designed to solicit public feedback about emergency
regulations that the City Council approved in November, which are
aimed at keeping the controversial businesses away from schools and
from clustering in large numbers.

The results of the anonymous and non-scientific poll show that nearly
half of the 641 people who responded think the temporary rules are
"well balanced." But those who didn't fall into that category were
split nearly down the middle between the regulations being too strict
and not being strict enough.

Michael Banuelos, a spokesman for the city of Boulder, said the split
results are "really telling of community concerns," and would be a
consideration as the Boulder Planning Board works on more permanent
rules later this month.

Banuelos said the survey also shows that the temporary rules "appear
to be working, at least for some, at this point."

The interim rules, which expire March 31, require dispensaries that
opened after Nov. 6 to stay 500 feet away from schools and licensed
day-care centers. The businesses also aren't allowed to open in areas
that already have three or more dispensaries within 500 feet, or to
operate in houses or residential zones.

Some of the people who said that the city's rules don't go far enough
suggested a 1,000-foot buffer between dispensaries, which a recent
city study found would virtually eliminate space for any additional
dispensaries to open in downtown Boulder or on University Hill.

Others said they are opposed to dispensaries in general. Some of the
anonymous comments included, "Anyone who uses marijuana should be
prosecuted to the fullest extent," and "the recent flood of these
dispensaries is appalling. This isn't about helping people, it is
about selling pot."

A supporter of medical marijuana wrote that the most important issue
is "public discourse and education regarding the nature of medical
marijuana as a viable means of improving human health."

Another person wrote that "the people of Boulder do not want
over-regulation. However, they want to be assured that the clinics
are managed and run properly."

The responses were almost equally divided on questions that asked
whether the temporary rules are doing enough to address where
dispensaries are allowed to operate in the city, or in regulating how
the companies operate.

The city received more than 400 written comments on the question of
how the city could better regulate where and how dispensaries do
business. The suggestions ranged from banning the sale of medical
marijuana in the city to supporting the outright legalization of all marijuana.

An open-ended question about whether people think marijuana
dispensaries and growing businesses will have a positive or negative
impact on nearby neighborhoods generated almost 600 comments.

"Citizens respect freedom and openness; prohibition allows for
neither," one person wrote. "So, having pot shops out in the open,
taxed and regulated just makes sense. It always has, we are just now
coming to acceptance."

Others said dispensaries would have a negative effect on the community.

"No doubt they will cater to the transient rental neighborhoods with
college kids," another person wrote. "If allowed to proliferate, they
will communicate a negative community value about recreational drug use."

Pierre Werner, owner of DrReefer.com at 1121 Broadway, said he took
the survey online but doesn't think the results are truly reflective
of the community.

"It sounds like a lot of dispensary owners took the survey, and they
want to keep the moratorium in place because it's good for business," he said.

Werner said that, by limiting the number of dispensaries in certain
areas, the city has lessened competition.

"I'm more of a free-market guy," he said. "I don't want to see any
moratoriums."

He said he hopes the City Council and the Boulder Planning Board take
input from the survey, business owners, homeowners and their own
impressions of the industry as they discuss long-term rules.

Pete "Pony" Johnson, owner of The Med Shed at 4483 Broadway in Boulder, agreed.

"I think everybody that's doing this legitimately and paying taxes,
no one has a problem with (regulations)," he said.

A memo outlining proposed permanent regulations will be made publicly
available on Feb. 12. The Planning Board will discuss the proposal
the following week, with the City Council taking up the measure in March.

[sidebar]

PrOJECT TIMELINE

Feb. 12 -- City to release draft regulations for public review

Feb. 18 -- Boulder Planning Board hearing on proposed regulations

March 2 -- Boulder City Council first reading of ordinance

March 16 -- Boulder City Council second reading of ordinance

Survey Responses

The city of Boulder on Wednesday released the results of a month-long
survey on people's attitudes about medical-marijuana dispensaries.
Here's a look at some of the hundreds of anonymous comments that the
city received:

"Not all of us are hard core left wing. Marijuana is illegal and this
is all a shell to allow people to use it. If we want to legalize pot
that is fine, but lets go about doing that, not this back door medical excuse."

"Prohibition is the illness we are fighting here. This is just the
first dose of badly needed social medicine long overdue."

"Medical Marijuana is an asset to any community. A city should not be
allowed to ban them. Any kind of negative reaction is due to lack of
education."

"Just plain legalize marijuana."

"Medical cannabis has a far less impact on society than does alcohol
but you hand out licenses for this drug with less restrictions."

"Prescriptions should only be acceptable from licensed, practicing,
medical doctors. Dispensaries should require state licensing and over
sight and be severely limited in quantity."

"Land use regulations may be the most expedient tool currently
available to the city for regulation of these businesses. However,
they need to be treated under other business licensing practices, to
either be like legitimate drug stores and pharmacies or like liquor
or tobacco stores."

"I hope to see Boulder and Colorado become a pioneering leader in the
good use of marijuana as food and medicine, including the beneficial
use of industrial hemp."

For complete survey results and comments, visit dailycamera.com.