LET THE FREE MARKET ALONE

It looks like one of the hotly debated issues in the Colorado
General Assembly this month will be medical marijuana. According to
news report Senator Chris Romer of Denver is leading the charge to
highly (over) regulate growers and dispensaries. He claims there
are too many dispensaries and a criminal element in the business.
He first proposed charging dispensaries a fee between $10,000 and
$35,000. "To get the thugs and the knuckleheads out of the
business." Now he has lowered that fee to between $7,500 and
$18,000. He wants to weed out operators who may have criminal ties.

How about requiring a background check for growers, dispensary
owners and their employees? If someone has a felony conviction they
would not be allowed to own a business or work in the industry. The
fee should be similar to fees charge for background checks for other
purposes. Not so high as to put someone out of business.

If he and has followers think there are too many dispensaries it
would appear they have never heard of our free enterprise system.
Or, they have been talking to too many lobbyists from big
pharmaceutical companies and the large medical marijuana
dispensaries that can't handle the competition. This is not an area
for government. Let the free market system work.

The Generally Assembly and Governor have passed to
many anti-business laws and taxes already this year. We don't need
any more. And, if someone is against the medical marijuana industry
they should be careful. What about restaurants that serve food high
in fat, salt and sugar? Are they next to be taxed and regulated out
of business?

Dispensaries should be located in commercially zoned areas that
allow businesses like restaurants, grocery stores, retail stores,
etc. The growing operations should be in enclosed facilities. I have
read where some people think growing should only be allowed in
agricultural areas. That sounds reasonable, but be careful. That
vegetable and herb garden in your backyard might be considered an
agricultural operation.

Bill Moss

Colorado Springs