Colorado To Ban Co-Op Cannabis Grow Operations
Recreational cannabis cultivators have ingeniously discovered the benefits from sharing the cost of nutrients, electricity and water, but not for long. The Colorado Senate unanimously approved a bill that makes it a crime to grow recreational cannabis for others. The bill, H.B. 17-1221, was supported by Gov. John Hickenlooper, and was passed in the House and Senate on April 10.
Only primary caregivers who are assigned to an individual and who are in compliance are permitted to grow recreational or medical cannabis for anyone else. Those who are caught wrongfully growing cannabis for someone else will be subject to criminal offenses and penalties. In order to be compliant, a grower must abide by the requirements listed in the state constitution, section 25-1.5-106.
The Colorado state constitution allows adults 21 and over to grow cannabis or assist others to grow. It allows groups to assign a single farmer to care for their cannabis and allows farmers to avoid up to 30 percent in cannabis taxes, depending on their jurisdiction. But state lawmakers have been looking at ways of controlling shared recreational grow operations.
The bill also appropriates $5,945,392 in cannabis tax revenues to give to law enforcement to crack down on illegal cannabis growing operations. “The bill creates the gray and black market marijuana enforcement grant program in the division of local government in the department of local affairs (division). The grant program awards grants to local governments to reimburse the local governments, in part or in full, for law enforcement and prosecution costs associated with gray and black marijuana markets,” the bill reads.
As part of the state’s crackdown on illegal cannabis, the Governor is also expected to sign an additional bill that would limit home grow operations at 12 plants. Those who are authorized to grow more than 12 plants would be forced to grow the rest of their plants at a commercial location or buy it from a recreational shop. It’s unclear whether Gov. John Hickenlooper will sign the bill.
