LAWS DON'T STOP DRUG TRADE

A dual system of legal and illegal marijuana in Colorado could have
some unexpected consequences, but there are various points of view on
what that will be.

Montezuma County Sheriff Gerald Wallace calls the impact of legal
medical marijuana on the illegal drug market "huge."

"I just got back from a conference, and they're saying that robberies
are increasing," Wallace said earlier this summer. "One county in a
10-day period had two running gun battles. They're robbing
dispensaries. Organized crime is coming in and saying, 'You will buy
from us.' It's like laundering illegal money. They bring in the
illegal marijuana and force the dispensaries to sell it so it becomes
legal."

Medical marijuana won't end the illegal drug trade, Cortez Police
Chief Roy Lane said.

"We will still have drug dealers who sell dope," Lane said. "This is
not going to affect that one way or the other. It's still out there.
Those who can't get a medical marijuana card will still buy illegally.
That's not going to stop."

A new law to go into effect Sept. 1 will require the medical marijuana
centers to grow at least 70 percent of the marijuana they sell,
Wallace said.

"If we allow marijuana, we don't want it to be brought in from
Mexico," he said. "For one thing, I'm told it's much more potent. The
THC (tetrahydrocannabinol, the psychoactive substance in marijuana)
level is very high, and they have some varieties that don't make you
drowsy or won't make you hungry."

Wallace fears medical marijuana will boost the illegal
market.

"I could see people as caregivers might sell it to people without a
medical marijuana card," he said. "Until it all gets ironed out in the
courts and legislation, it's a problem. It's my belief, and I will
encourage the county commissioners not to allow any marijuana. It's a
huge deal, and I don't support it."

People can obtain a medical marijuana card easily, Wallace
said.

"It's definitely going to increase the amount of marijuana users in
the state," he said. "Some people say it's not a gateway drug, but I
believe it is. You use it and don't have too bad of an effect, so you
try a little more, and then you try another drug. It's definitely a
gateway drug. No question about it. On the other hand, it's not even
close to meth in the problems in the community."

On the other side of the issue is Dale Kirkman, who with his cousin
Eric Haley, runs a medical marijuana dispensary, Buckethead Herbal
Center at 313 Railroad Ave. in Dolores. Kirkman said the medical
marijuana centers are proving to be a good thing and will slow down
the illegal trade to almost nothing.

"It knocks out the (drug) cartels," he said.

Kirkman said his center is selling marijuana for $300 an ounce,
compared to a street price of $400 an ounce for illegal marijuana.

"Our marijuana is much higher quality than street marijuana," he said.
"For the most part, illegal marijuana is not up to grade. They don't
handle it like we do, and ours is all organically grown. I grow 90
percent of what I sell. A main reason for me to grow it is to know
it's done right."

THC levels are much higher in the marijuana he grows because "that's
where the medical effect comes in," Kirkman said.

"It has to be strong to do what it needs to do," he said. "I know the
government is worried the levels are too high, but it has to be that
high to be effective. Street marijuana usually has 7 to 10 percent
THC, versus above 20 percent to be considered medical grade. That's
the milestone we try to hit."

Kirkman said his customers appreciate the ability to purchase
marijuana legally.

"I've heard a hundred times how happy people are that they can come
here to get their marijuana, when before they would give people on the
street their money and wouldn't know if they're coming back (to
deliver the marijuana)," he said.

Buckethead Herbal Center provides education about marijuana to its 60
patients, and matches patients with one of the 25 varieties the center
sells for different illnesses, Kirkman said.

Some illegal dealers will go legal, Kirkman said.

"I was on the other side of the spectrum but decided this is the way
to go, so I don't have to look over my shoulder," he said. "I get to
help people. A lot of shops don't have the knowledge. They're just
grabbing the money. You're supposed to have a relationship with your
patients, and I do spend time with them. I would guess that 90 percent
of the people smoke (marijuana), and I'm not even kidding. There's
more people here interested than you think."