Colorado Medical Marijuana Laws Are Wrong

The State of Colorado permitted residents to open storefront dispensaries in order to supply patients with marijuana. Residents were permitted to operate growing operations and storefront dispensaries, which should be two separate entities. Many residents and non-residents flocked to open these businesses and invested many thousands of dollars and hours of hard labor. Some of us were involved prior to the explosion of the industry after the statement made by the President requesting the FDA back off of licensed medical marijuana operations.

Industry should be free to everyone, and this is part of what made America a great place to come and start a new life. We should be able to open as many businesses of the same type as possible. Eventually, the herd will be thinned out by competition and demand, not because the government decides they want to force certain small 'mom and pop' operations out of business.

August 1, 2010 was the deadline for applications to be submitted to the Department of Revenue. They charged outrageous fees, up to $18,000 for a license and then decided to change the regulations which permitted local governments to decide if they wanted to allow these type of businesses. This is my problem.... They take our money then allow local governments to change the laws and shut us down. Most of us, out of work construction workers, plumbers, electricians, etc.. are the people affected by these changes. We need to put the average hard-working person back to work. Afterall, we are/were the backbone of America.

These regulations also forced two independent businesses to merge. They forced the growing operations to partner with a single storefront. The storefront dispensary owners became the real owners of both businesses, which in my opinion is wrong. My grow operation was forced to close and I am now out of business. The dispensary however, is allowed to find a new grow location and remain in business. Why am I out of business while they remain? When a person is permitted to open a business by the State, they should not be forced to close because of personal opinions of local city council members.

The Colorado Department of Revenue Medical Marijuana Enforcement Division is a major contributor to the regulations made in Colorado. Other states are trying to recruit some of their directors in order to help with their regulations. We can not let this happen! Their regulations are corrupt and wrong for this industry. We need common sense laws for this industry; I am prepared to provide a full plan on how we should regulate this industry properly so that it is fair for every American. We should not offer the opportunity to enter this business to the highest bidder, which Pennsylvania is proposing. This will only allow for more corruption.