Colorado's Medical Marijuana Enforcement Division Rules Posted

By Scott Green |  Published on Mile High NORML

Scott Green (left), with former N.M. Gov. Gary Johnson

Colorado’s MMC’s face rigorous security requirements in the coming months.

Surveillance cameras tied to state computers, weight records of growing plants and background checks with fingerprinting for all employees are among the rules in a 77-page draft released Friday on the Colorado Department of Revenue website. READ ALL 77 PAGES HERE

The new regulations are pending review by the Colorado Attorney General’s office, and time is allowed for compliance before they’re effective July 1.

There are several problems that need to be worked out with the rules for example For example, marijuana plants grown in water or with aeroponics (grown in air, or without a medium such as soil) can have root systems embedded in pipe systems. There’s no possible way to pick up your plant and weigh it without totally derooting it.

Our friend Tina Valenti, owner of In Harmony Wellness in Windsor CO. said she’s not concerned about further state regulations, as she battles to keep in business in a town that has moved to ban dispensaries. With her and others being forced out of several cities across Colorado.

KEY POINTS:
* Rules are effective July 1 2011
* Also the draft would require labeling of the marijuana sold, including all ingredients, chemical additives and nonorganic pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers used in cultivation and production.
* Cameras WILL NOT be focused on the SALE or the PERSON
* New licensing fees over the next month
* Employee licensing will begin shortly…. mid to end of April. Employee licensing will take 1-2 hours and they will walk out the door with a license.
* MMC’s should move quickly toward 70/30 compliance if you are not there already. Dan Hratman, placed in charge of regulating MMJ for the DOR says to beware the “70/30 fairy”
* MMC’s need to be bonded by May 1st
* Rules defined “surveillance room.” It is a room or “area” that is not open to “unlicensed personnel” and where there is some recorded video footage of who has access to that area. DVR also needs to be in a secured locked box.

The regulations, were drafted by a panel of 34 people ranging from law enforcement to doctors, dispensary owners and local government representatives.

 

Scott Green is the Director of Mile High NORML and has been an inexhaustible voice, literally, in Denver.  You can follow Scott during his weekly radio show, aptly titled The Mile High NORML Show every Tuesday  online through the MHN website.

Share This Post