LAWMAKERS SNUFF PROPOSAL TO VOTE ON DISPENSARY BAN

State lawmakers today killed a proposal that would have asked voters
whether to ban medical-marijuana dispensaries statewide.

The proposal, introduced by a handful of Republicans and backed by law
enforcement officials, would have put before voters a ballot measure
to clarify that only individual, small-scale caregivers could provide
pot to medical-marijuana patients instead of large, commercial
dispensaries.

The measure's proponents said Monday they fear acceptance of
dispensaries will lead to increased pot use by teenagers and promote
fraud in the medical-marijuana system. But dispensary defenders said
they provide a safe, regulated way for approved patients to obtain
marijuana.

The Senate Judiciary Committee killed the measure on a party-line
vote.

A separate bill to license dispensaries - which would allow cities and
counties to ban them in their communities - is scheduled to be voted
on by the full Senate later this week.