News Nuggets (Colorado)

Colorado Democrats endorse legalization bill

In a further sign that marijuana legalization has become a mainstream issue, the Colorado Democratic Party announced its support for a ballot measure that would lift civil and criminal penalties on possessing and growing small amounts of cannabis if passed in November.

Party officials announced their decision to support Amendment 62—the Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol Act of 2012—at their state convention in April. The move came just a month after the Denver County Republican Party narrowly failed to adopt support of the measure as part of its platform. Amendment 64 has been endorsed by former New Mexico governor Gary Johnson and Christian evangelist Pat Robertson.

Seed sellers unhappy with dispensaries-only ruling

Licensed Colorado cannabis dispensaries can only legally sell seeds that they’ve produced themselves, the head of the state’s Medical Marijuana Enforcement Division announced.

The decision by MMED chief Laura Harris, which came at the request for clarification by MMJ attorney Bob Hoban, ends months of speculation that the division considered the state’s lucrative seed-sales market illegal. But while dispensary operators now have at least some assurance their sales of seeds pass muster with the MMED, representatives of the commercial cannabis seed industry are calling Harris’ decision unworkable.

Since most cannabis sold at medical marijuana centers are seedless, Centennial Seeds founder Ben Holmes told one news outlet, the centers would have to fundamentally change how they grow their cannabis as well as the kind of marijuana they sell to patients. Holmes called Harris’ decision “ridiculous,” according to the news article.

CU-Boulder tries to 86 420 Day

About 1,000 cannabis fans braved police lines, stinky fertilizer and the music of Wyclef Jean to celebrate 420 Day at the University of Colorado at Boulder—defying school officials’ efforts to drive the annual event off campus.

But university officials were at least partially successful in scaling back the festivities, which last year drew more than 10,000 people. To drive the message home that the revelers weren’t welcome this year, administrators employed dozens of campus officers around Norlin Quad and had the quad covered in rank fish fertilizer. Student government leaders hired hip-hop artist Jean to perform at a pot-free event nearby. While the efforts kept 420ers off the quad, hundreds of them showed their displeasure—and love of the leaf—by marching through the campus.

Three students were arrested for trespassing, and police issued citations—one for trespassing, the other for pot possession—to two others. That should help partly defray the estimated $250,000 cost to the university for the increased security and the concert.