WHAT'S NEXT FOR MEDICAL MARIJUANA?

Eagle County Voters Have Spoken But Commissioners Will Have The Final
Say On Dispensaries

EAGLE COUNTY, Colorado -- A majority of voters said they want medical
marijuana businesses to stay in Eagle County.

So what happens next?

Because the results of the election aren't binding, the commissioners
will have the final say on whether dispensaries can operate in the
county.

Commissioner Jon Stavney said the voters sent a message that they
would like to see the marijuana businesses exist in the county. He
said the county has done a good job of setting up the parameters for
the stores themselves but the county has also received several
requests from people looking to set up growing operations.

"The next step for us, the next thing we have to deal with, is
regulations about growing," he said.

Given the outcome of the election, Commissioner Peter Runyon said the
county should allow the shops and make sure they're well regulated. He
said the commissioners will have the county staff present the various
options available for regulation.

Commissioner Sara Fisher said it's too soon to say whether the county
will allow medical marijuana businesses.

"We haven't had the dialogue between us or with the attorneys office,"
she said.

Fisher said the board will have public conversations about the issue
and what has happened elsewhere in the state in terms of medical marijuana.

The county already has zoning in place for the dispensaries, county
attorney Bryan Treu said.

Next, he said the county will look into whether it should have a
licensing program for the shops, similar to how liquor stores have
licenses. He said a licensing program would have to be in place by
July 2011. That's when the state plans to start giving out licenses
for medical marijuana centers.

Also, he said the county could take another look at the zoning laws --
which require the stores to stand 500 feet from schools, churches or
homes -- before finalizing them. Eagle County is currently home to five
dispensaries.