SUTHERS WEIGHS IN ON MEDICAL MARIJUANA

Colorado Attorney General John Suthers said Tuesday he "suspects 80
percent of local governments will choose not to allow medical
marijuana dispensaries."

In an interview with The Mountain Mail during a visit to Salida,
Suthers said House Bill 1284, passed by the Legislature and signed
into law by Gov. Bill Ritter, allows municipalities to ban
dispensaries outright or put the issue to a vote.

If Salida officials allow dispensaries - now referred to as centers -
to stay in business while a majority of municipalities ban them,
Suthers said he worries centers will "sprout up on every corner,"
which could "impact the quality of life in the community."

He said communities that allow marijuana centers will become a source
for patients from nearby communities which don't allow centers.

Accessibility and proximity to centers, Suthers said, could affect
local youth, creating an image that "smoking marijuana is normal behavior."

Having worked to rid communities of methamphetamines, Suthers said,
"Youth who start smoking marijuana at age 12-15 are more likely to try
harder drugs, namely meth."

He continued, "Sales tax dollars aren't going to cover the social
costs," related to potential problems from increasing dispensary
providers and marijuana use.

Selling marijuana commercially, Suthers said, was never legal under
Amendment 20, passed in 2000.

"Amendment 20 didn't sanction dispensaries. What it did was allow
patients with disabling illnesses to have small amounts of medical
marijuana.

"If patients couldn't grow marijuana themselves, a caregiver could
grow medicine for the patient."

In 2009, the Colorado Board of Health lifted a restriction then that
limited caregivers to providing marijuana to no more than five patients.

Board of health officials voted 4-3 to remove the limit on how many
patients a caregiver can serve.

In addition, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder announced in 2009 his
office would not be giving priority to conduct investigations relating
to medical marijuana in states that passed medical marijuana laws.

The two decisions, one by the state board of health and the other by
the U.S. attorney general, resulted in an increase in applications for
medical marijuana dispensaries throughout the state.

Suthers said there were 1,700 registered medical marijuana users
before 2009 - there are more than 100,000 today with 76 percent of
marijuana "prescriptions" issued by 15 doctors and 50 percent issued
by three doctors.

He said no one who has applied to be a medical marijuana user has had
an application denied, that there's a backlog of about 63,000
applications not yet processed by the state and the list is growing
daily.

"It's a joke," Suthers said, estimating the average age of a medical
marijuana cardholder at 25 years.

Suthers commended Senate Bill 109, requiring doctors to have a bona
fide relationship with a patient, including having patients undergoing
full physical exams.

In addition, doctors must be in good standing and have no restrictions
on their medical licenses.

Four percent of Colorado doctors have issued medical marijuana
"prescriptions." Of those doctors, 76 percent have lost their Drug
Enforcement Administration certification, he Suthers said.

In addition, Suthers estimated 60 percent of dispensary owners
wouldn't qualify to continue business because of prior convictions for
drug use and criminal records. He said those applicants would probably
use a front person to apply.

House Bill 1284 states applicants with any felonies within the
previous five years or any drug felony ever cannot be issued a
dispensary license.

In Colorado Springs, Suthers said, there are more than 400
dispensaries.

"Homeowner associations are going crazy with concern," he
said.

July 12, Pueblo City Council voted 4-3 not to put a ballot question
before city voters that would have let voters decide whether to allow
dispensaries.

Jefferson County will refer the dispensary question to
voters.

Vail Town Council banned medical marijuana dispensaries July 6. Avon
Town Council voted on first reading to ban dispensaries within town
limits.

Chaffee County Commissioners conducted a public hearing about
marijuana dispensaries this week.

Salida city planners are considering regulations related to the
centers and may make a recommendation to city council for additional
action.