Fort Collins To Vote On Dispensary Ban
Fort Collins will put the future of medical marijuana dispensaries into the hands of the voters. All related businesses would also be shutdown. This ban on dispensaries is now possible due to Chris Romer and Nancy Spence's Colorado House Bill 1284 (HB 1284). Previously it was unconstitutional for municipalities to ban legitimate law abiding medical marijuana businesses since this limits patient rights as outlined in the Colorado constitution.
The vote will take place on November 1st in Fort Collins. Ballot question 300 would flat out ban licensed medical marijuana businesses form operating within the city. This includes growers, producers of marijuana infused products, and of course dispensaries. Dozens of businesses would be shown the door it this passes, and many more employees will join the jobless. Tax revenues generated from these businesses will also dry up at a time when city budgets are difficult to balance.
Other Colorado cities have already voted to ban mmd's. Grand Junction, Castle Rock, Loveland, Greeley, Windsor are a few of the Colorado municaplities that have voted for an outright ban. This truly hurts the legitimate patients as they are forced to travel long distances in order to receive access to meds. While there are some recreational users acquiring marijuana, this is not an issue for them since it's relatively much easier for able bodied folks to travel back and forth. Many patients are reliant upon assistance from others and need easy access to safe meds. It appears that Chris Romer has decided it's much better for these often terminal patients to be buying unsafe meds in a back alley. His HB 1284 was clearly unconstitutional as it denies patient rights and Colorado voter opinion in his personal quest to destroy medical marijuana in Colorado.
The big money is clearly in favor of banning marijuana shops in Fort Collins. The pro ban (and anti-constitutional) group has raised a reported 8x more money than the pro mmd side. This means the propaganda is well funded. It's a rather sad commentary when such a large amount of capital can be raised to directly hurt terminally ill and other patients, while so much suffering, homelessness and humanitarian causes are in need of donations. This difference in capital raised is not likely to be a relavant predictor in the outcome of ballot question 300. What will be the deciding factor is how many people actually get out and vote. If you live in Fort Collins, November 1st is an important day. Pass the word around campus, offices, and everywhere else to get people motivated to vote. This is not the time for Apathy.