[420 Girl]

Breckenridge, a bustling Rocky Mountain town, is looking to regulate the “green rush” of Colorado. Latest numbers released at the recent hearings that could have changed the Colorado medical marijuana program entirely, have show a dramatic increase in the number of permit holders in the colorful state. In July, 2009 the registry quoted the number at just above 9,000, compared to the previous year where the registry number was right around 5,000.

With such success of the registry program, the need for medicine would surely soon follow. This is why the town of Breckenridge is seeking to regulate any dispensary within the town. The proposed regulations would ensure the following rules:

* An application must be filed with the town for approval per town code
* The dispensary must be compliant with state law
* The dispensary will have to pay local and state taxes
* The dispensary cannot be located in the main business district; or within 500 feet of day care facility, school, public community centers, park, recreational pathway, or any other publically owned building, any other dispensaries, churches, halfway house, or residential home.
* The dispensary must not open more than one-half hour before sunrise, and close no later than one-half hour after sunset
* No obtrusive or indicative signage
* On-site cultivation allowed only with approved ventilation, and cannot be smelled outside the dispensary
* No on-site consumption of marijuana, except small edible samples
* Marijuana must be contained in a secured case
* Marijuana must not be visible from outside the dispensary
* Dispensary must have surveillance cameras for interior and exterior, and footage must be saved for 72 hours
* Professionally monitored alarm system
* Adequate outdoor lighting
* No alcohol sales or consumption on-site
* There is also a liability clause regarding the federal law issue

The town council discussed the regulations this week, and will continue further discussion and a preliminary vote at the first reading on August 25, 2009 at 3:00pm. According to Police Chief, Rick Holman, if the regulations are approved there will be a second reading which will include a public hearing on September 8, 2009 at 3:00pm. The town will then vote on the issue.

Breckenridge will be the second town in the state to address the need for any kind of regulations for medical marijuana dispensary operation. Commerce City is the other town seeking regulations.

The Police Chief of Breckenridge, Rick Holman, was kind enough to give me a thorough explanation of the schedule for this regulation vote. Chief Holman seems to have taken a very active role in this entire process, and is taking a common sense approach to the expansion of the dispensary business in Colorado.

With Breckenridge having a large visitor population in the winter, it makes sense to have these regulations from a public relations point of view. With all the ski resorts in Colorado, it could prove costly to a town to drive away the family market.

At the same time, Breckenridge isn’t running from the problem with a ban of some sort. The town council of Breckenridge may have a model for other towns to follow. They are taking into consideration the rights of everyone involved, and that is not an easy task.

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