BEST APPROACH

PUEBLO CITY Council has scheduled next Monday to decide approving a
ballot issue to ask city voters in November whether to allow medical
marijuana centers in the city.

One such center operated for several months and paid the city $20,000
in sales taxes this year before being shut down on a cease-and-desist
order by the city. The owners have indicated they will appeal the order.

At least one member of City Council believes that, because a majority
of Pueblo voters opposed the amendment allowing for medical marijuana
while a majority statewide approved it, local voters should be asked
again whether to allow dispensaries inside the city limits.

Meanwhile, Pueblo County commissioners are allowing dispensaries
already in business to stay open while zoning regulations for the
centers are completed. Seventeen businesses were allowed to file a
simple pre-license application.

Medical marijuana has gained widespread support, even among those
who've never used it and don't plan to. We suspect that growing
support will result in an end to the federal ban against it.

We also continue to support adopting the model of land use rules for
licensing liquor establishments as the best approach toward approving
medical marijuana dispensaries. That includes distance limits to
schools and similar buildings.

Don't reinvent the wheel.