Tag: laura kriho

When it comes to marijuana, Colorado has been at the forefront for years and that will only intensify in the 10 months between now and election day.

In a little more than a year, Colorado may become the first state to legalize marijuana. Between now and then, prepare to meet petition waving enthusiasts. In fact, prepare to meet competing petition wavers as it is quite likely that at least two different pro-marijuana groups will propose at least two different legalization schemes.

Could Colorado State employees who work in the regulatory end of the medical marijuana business be prosecuted for their role in what the federal government increasingly seems to view as an illegal enterprise? According to Department of Justice attorneys in Washington State, it is not outside the realm of possibility.

Medical Marijuana patients and recreational users of the drug filled the Old Supreme Court chambers of the Capitol Thursday as they emotionally testified against a bill to make driving while high a DUI per se. The bill passed 6-3.

A tense exchange Thursday sidetracked a House amendment that would end a proposed requirement that medical marijuana patients for tax purposes hold up their ID cards to be videotaped during dispensary visits. An advocate for the amendment managed to so antagonize amendment sponsor Rep. Jerry Sonnenberg, R-Sterling, that Sonnenberg pitched the amendment in the trash.

Medical marijuana advocates Wednesday evening called for the full legalization of marijuana in Colorado, saying that until the drug is fully legal, it will always be stigmatized and patients will be subject to harassment. “No patient is really safe until it is legalized for everyone,” attorney Robert J. Corry told the crowd of patients and advocates at a meeting in Denver.