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Colorado laws regulating the recreational use of marijuana should "set up a legitimate business environment" for growing and selling it, says state Rep. Jonathan Singer.
Singer, D-Longmont, is one of 10 lawmakers named by state legislative leaders to a committee that's to consider recommendations from the Amendment 64 Implementation Task Force for new state laws and regulations stemming from the Colorado constitutional amendment that voters approved last November.
Singer said Wednesday that he supported passage of Amendment 64 because "I think it's time that we make sure that marijuana is treated like the drug that it is and not the drug that we fear it to be."
Marijuana isn't in the same category as methamphetamine, cocaine or heroin, Singer said, "and the cost of treating it like those drugs has been too high for our society."
The Amendment 64 Implementation Task Force, created by Gov. John Hickenlooper in December, issued a 165-report Wednesday.
The Legislature's committee that'll be reviewing the task force recommendations, taking public testimony and proposing state laws to implement Amendment 64 is to hold its first meeting Friday afternoon.
Singer said he wants to make sure that businesses both large and small can participate in growing and selling marijuana for people age 21 and older, the adult market that Amendment 64 established.
At the same time, Singer said, "I want to make sure our kids are protected."
Rep. Brian DelGrosso, R-Loveland, said Wednesday that he didn't take a public position on Amendment 64, but "the people have spoken" and it's now part of the Colorado Constitution that he's sworn to uphold.
Advocates of the initiative argued that recreational marijuana use could be regulated like alcohol is, DelGrosso said, adding that he wants to ensure that -- as with Colorado's liquor laws -- marijuana "is used responsibly" and that adequate public-safety protections are in place, such as "making sure kids aren't getting access to this."
Another area lawmaker on the special legislative committee is Sen. Vicki Marble, R-Fort Collins, whose district extends through southwest Weld County into Broomfield. She couldn't be reached for comment by late Wednesday afternoon.
Among the recommendations in the task force's report:
Only Colorado residents should be allowed to hold licenses to grow, process and sell marijuana for adult use. Sales to both residents and visitors to the state should be permitted, however, with stricter quantity limits for visitors.
All marijuana products sold from retail facilities should be in child-proof packaging and have warning levels that detail th\e tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) potency. The labels also should list all pesticides, herbicides, fungicides and solvents used in cultivating or processing the products.
During the first year of state licensing of recreational-marijuana businesses, only entities with valid medical marijuana licenses should be able to get licenses to grow, process and sell recreational marijuana.
Voters should be asked next November to approve a 15 percent excise tax on the sales of recreational marijuana products. The first $40 million of revenues from that tax would go to the state's school construction fund. That "marijuana sales tax" could also pay for the costs of regulating the industry, implementing consumer safeguards and establishing marijuana-use prevention and intervention programs for Colorado youths.
News Hawk- TruthSeekr420 420 MAGAZINE
Source: timescall.com
Author: John Fryar
Contact: Contact Us - Longmont Times-Call
Website: Panel to consider marijuana task force's recommendations - Longmont Times-Call
Singer, D-Longmont, is one of 10 lawmakers named by state legislative leaders to a committee that's to consider recommendations from the Amendment 64 Implementation Task Force for new state laws and regulations stemming from the Colorado constitutional amendment that voters approved last November.
Singer said Wednesday that he supported passage of Amendment 64 because "I think it's time that we make sure that marijuana is treated like the drug that it is and not the drug that we fear it to be."
Marijuana isn't in the same category as methamphetamine, cocaine or heroin, Singer said, "and the cost of treating it like those drugs has been too high for our society."
The Amendment 64 Implementation Task Force, created by Gov. John Hickenlooper in December, issued a 165-report Wednesday.
The Legislature's committee that'll be reviewing the task force recommendations, taking public testimony and proposing state laws to implement Amendment 64 is to hold its first meeting Friday afternoon.
Singer said he wants to make sure that businesses both large and small can participate in growing and selling marijuana for people age 21 and older, the adult market that Amendment 64 established.
At the same time, Singer said, "I want to make sure our kids are protected."
Rep. Brian DelGrosso, R-Loveland, said Wednesday that he didn't take a public position on Amendment 64, but "the people have spoken" and it's now part of the Colorado Constitution that he's sworn to uphold.
Advocates of the initiative argued that recreational marijuana use could be regulated like alcohol is, DelGrosso said, adding that he wants to ensure that -- as with Colorado's liquor laws -- marijuana "is used responsibly" and that adequate public-safety protections are in place, such as "making sure kids aren't getting access to this."
Another area lawmaker on the special legislative committee is Sen. Vicki Marble, R-Fort Collins, whose district extends through southwest Weld County into Broomfield. She couldn't be reached for comment by late Wednesday afternoon.
Among the recommendations in the task force's report:
Only Colorado residents should be allowed to hold licenses to grow, process and sell marijuana for adult use. Sales to both residents and visitors to the state should be permitted, however, with stricter quantity limits for visitors.
All marijuana products sold from retail facilities should be in child-proof packaging and have warning levels that detail th\e tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) potency. The labels also should list all pesticides, herbicides, fungicides and solvents used in cultivating or processing the products.
During the first year of state licensing of recreational-marijuana businesses, only entities with valid medical marijuana licenses should be able to get licenses to grow, process and sell recreational marijuana.
Voters should be asked next November to approve a 15 percent excise tax on the sales of recreational marijuana products. The first $40 million of revenues from that tax would go to the state's school construction fund. That "marijuana sales tax" could also pay for the costs of regulating the industry, implementing consumer safeguards and establishing marijuana-use prevention and intervention programs for Colorado youths.
News Hawk- TruthSeekr420 420 MAGAZINE
Source: timescall.com
Author: John Fryar
Contact: Contact Us - Longmont Times-Call
Website: Panel to consider marijuana task force's recommendations - Longmont Times-Call
