Responsible Use of Cannabis During the Holidays!

Happy Holidays everyone and what a year it has been!

Cannabis advocates have been working hard, hand in hand with their fellow advocates and cannabis legalization opponents, to hammer out the recreational marijuana retail landscape for Colorado in 2014.   I know everyone is excited for January 1, 2014 and the groundbreaking historic moment it will be when anyone 21 or older can go into a store and legally (statewise that is) buy cannabis off the shelf!

That being said we in Colorado have won the war on the drugs and now we need to ensure we do not commit any post-war atrocities!  During this holiday season, if you are going to use cannabis use it responsibly.  All eyes are on us and even lawful use of cannabis can be a PR nightmare that will be used by legalization opponents to try and roll back our victories.

Enjoy yourselves, be safe, don' be arrogant, respect the opinions of other even if you do not agree with them (that is the American way) and above all....do not get high and drive!  Law enforcement does not support lawful cannabis use in Colorado and will be looking for ways to beef up their DUID statistics to show that legalizing cannabis in Colorado was a big mistake.

Remember, they cannot arrest you and charge you with a crime if you do not commit one!  More accurately, they might arrest you and charge you with a crime even if you did not commit one but when those charges go to the district attorneys and get thrown out of court again and again the district attorneys and judges will start turning on law enforcement for wasting their time and resources.

Don't give them a reason to arrest you in the first place!

For more information on responsible cannabis use check out this link:

http://www.coloradonorml.org/information/principles-of-responsible-cannabis-use

Colorado Department of Revenue's Proposed Retail Marijuana Regulations

Attention Colorado business owners interested in opening a Colorado retail marijuana business!  Education yourself on what you will need to do to open a Colorado retail marijuana business.

The Colorado Department of Revenue: Marijuana Enforcement Division has release their first draft of proposed regulations.  You can review the proposed changes here

Don't like these rules?  Then let your voice be heard at a public comments session!

For more information visit the DOR: MED website here.

CDPHE Proposes Changes To Medical Marijuana Regulations

Attention Colorado medical marijuana patients and caregivers!  Know your rights and know when they are changing!

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment is proposing an updated to Colorado's medical marijuana regulations.  You can review the proposed changes here.

Disagree with these changes?  Then let your voice be heard at a public comments session!

For more information visit the CDPHE: Medical Marijuana website here.

A64 Marijuana Task Force Release Recommendation Report

In December of 2012 Colorado Governor John W. Hickenlooper, by Executive Order, formed a Task Force to debate and make recommendations on how Amendment 64 is to be implemented in Colorado.  These Recommendation have just been formally release and can be found here Task Force Recommendations.

I was very fortunate to be appointed to this Task Force as a representative of marijuana consumers and to ensure that the consumers interests are protected.  The Task Force's mission was as follows:

"The Task Force's mission shall be to identify the legal, policy, and procedural issues that need to be resolved, and to offer suggestions and proposals for legislative, regulatory and executive actions that need to be taken, for the effective and efficient implementation of Amendment 64. The Task Force is encouraged to develop a comprehensive framework and timeline for legislation and regulations needed to implement Amendment 64. The Task Force shall report its recommendations and findings to the Governor, to the General Assembly and to the Attorney General."

For the next few months this Task Force met every other week to debate and vote on the issues raised by the five subgroups formed by the Task Force.  For more details on the subgroups please read the report.  I was also selected as a member of the Social Issues Working Group.

Although I did not agree with and voted against many of the Recommendations in this report it was great to see marijuana issues seriously debated in a public forum requiring many of our elected officials to take formal stances on the issues!

However, our work is not done yet!  Please contact your legislative representatives and congressmen and let them know what you think of these Recommendations and what they should do with them.

Marijuana Is Legal In Colorado! (kind of)

Congratulations to all those that worked so hard to pass Amendment 64 here in Colorado!  It truly was a grass roots efforts and thank you all for your hard work.

So what does this mean?  Rather than reinvent the wheel go to this link for more information:

http://www.coloradonorml.org/information/faqs-for-a64

It is a Frequently Asked Questions from Colorado NORML that will help provide guidelines for all recreational marijuana consumers.

Remember, be kind and responsible and let's show the world that the sky will not fall if lawful adults smoke a little dope every once in a while.

64 Ways To Promote A64

I have been completely negligent with this blog and I promise to do better in the future. This November election cycle is extremely important to those that advocate for the legalization of marijuana.

Ask yourself, "Do I know someone who has smoked marijuana and do I believe that person is a criminal that should be incarcerated?" If the answer is yes to the first question and no to the second question then please vote yes on Colorado Amendment 64.

Till then, here are 64 other ways to help A64 pass thanks to the good folks at talkitupcolorado.org.

1.  Pass out 64 (or more!) fliers explaining the initiative. We’ll mail them to you when you complete this online form, or you can download them here and print them yourself.

2.  Change your Facebook, Twitter and other social media profile pics and avatars to theYes on 64 logo.

3.  Check your voter registration online, and encourage your friends and family to do the same before the registration deadline on October 9.

4.  Call your grandma. Call your mom. Call every voter you know in Colorado. Let them know why you are voting Yes on 64, and encourage them to do the same.

5.  Attend a volunteer training session, then...

6.  Sign up to volunteer at events, and...

7.  Join us for door-to-door canvassing!

8.  Host a house meeting for Amendment 64.

9.  Design a Facebook cover image supporting YES on 64. Email it to us and we may post it in our album for others to use, too.

10.  Change your Facebook cover image to the Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol banner.

11.  Share the Dear Mom video.

12.  Share the Dear Dad video.

13.  Visit local businesses, bringing Amendment 64 flyers, and ask them to pass them out at the register.

14.  Watch & share the Yes on 64 Theme Song video.

15.  Film yourself singing the Yes on 64 Theme Song.  Upload it online and share it with the campaign!

16.  Write & record your own Yes on 64 Theme Song. Upload it online and share it with the campaign!

17.  Create a dance to go along with the Yes on 64 Theme Song and film yourself and your friends performing it. Upload it online and share it with the campaign!

18.  Call other voters in Colorado using our online phone bank when it becomes available in the coming days.

19.  Post a “Regulation Works” flyer at your local grocery store, laundromat, coffee shop, or anywhere you find a bulletin board.

20.  Make a donation. How about $64?

21.  Tell your neighbors why you’ll be voting YES on 64.

22.  Bring fliers or handouts with you to events, concerts, and other places where you’ll have the opportunity to spread the word to strangers.

23.  Get a YES on 64 tattoo. Or, for a less permanent option, paint the YES on 64 logo on your arms when you go to parties and events and use it to strike up a conversation.

24.  Wear your YES on 64 T-shirt once a week.

25.  Wear your YES on 64 button every day.

26.  Join a local social club and invite them to host a speaker from YES on 64.

27.  Make cookies or cupcakes decorated with YES on 64 and take them to a party or BBQ where you can tell people about the initiative.

28.  Buy a YES on 64 sticker and put it on your laptop or water bottle.

29.  Email five friends about Amendment 64.

30.  Friend the campaign on Facebook.

31.  Suggest the campaigns' page to your friends on Facebook.

32.  Follow the campaign on Twitter.

33.  Learn something new about marijuana or marijuana prohibition. Share it with your friends and with the campaign on Twitter: mention @COmarijuana2012 and use the hashtag #YESon64.

34.  Design an awesome infographic. Email it to us and we may add it to our online infographic collection.

35.  Share David Duchovny’s opinion about the wasteful nature of marijuana prohibition.

36.  Get a YES on 64 phone case and flash it around as often as you can.

37.  Create a video testimonial about why you support Amendment 64. Upload it online and share it with the campaign.

38.  Send a copy of “Marijuana is Safer: So why are we driving people to drink?” to a parent or grandparent who is on the fence about the initiative.

39.  Make “Marijuana is Safer: So why are we driving people to drink?” your next book club selection.

40.  Encourage students on your campus to register to vote to vote for marijuana. Send them this link to register online.

41.  Write Yes on 64 in chalk on sidewalks.

42.  Share the “It’s Time” video.

43.  Share Morgan Freeman’s opinion about marijuana prohibition on Facebook.

44.  Share a quote from Barack Obama on Facebook.

45.  Share Denver Post Mother’s Day guest column.

46.  Share the New York Times article highlighting Pat Robertson’s support for marijuana policy reform.

47.  Share “Card My Son” billboard.

48.  Share “Marijuana Over Alcohol” billboard.

49.  Share the column from Norm Stamper, retired Seattle Police Chief, about ending marijuana prohibition.

50.  Take the pledge to vote YES on 64.

51.  Share news that the Democratic Party of Colorado supports Amendment 64.

52.  Share the column from Gary Lindstrom, a former state representative and police officer.

53.  Read about why more than 100 professors endorse Amendment 64, then share the news with Colorado voters.

54.  Learn why the NAACP Colorado Montana Wyoming State Conference supports Amendment 64, then share it on Facebook and Twitter.

55.  Read about the economic benefits of Amendment 64 then share the news with other Colorado voters.

56.  Take & share the Marijuana vs. Alcohol quiz.

57.  Print & share Industrial Hemp & Amendment 64, our handout about how Amendment 64 will bring industrial hemp production to Colorado.

58.  Share Oliver Stone’s quote about marijuana and alcohol on Facebook.

59.  Share Henry Ford’s defense of industrial hemp on Facebook.

60.  Vote YES on 64 by mail beginning October 15, or vote early beginning October 22.

61.  Make sure all of your friends and family have voted. Send text messages, make phone calls, and give people a ride to the polls!

62.  Print the 64 Things in 64 Days for Amendment 64 checklist. Check off the boxes when you complete one of the 64 Things, and keep friends updated on your progress by uploading pictures of your checklist online.

63.  Send us stories and pictures about your experience completing some of the 64 Things and we might post them on our Success Stories page or our 64 Things in 64 Days for Amendment 64 Facebook album.

64.  Fill in the blank!  ______________________________________________________

DOR Issues New Forms Packet

Last night I attend ACT4CO's open meeting with Barbara Gold, MMED Auditor. Barbara is the Department of Revenue's drafter of the MMED Forms that we are all struggling to understand and complete.

Barbara was a fantastic speaker and provide a ton of good information as we all take part in this evolution of a new industry. There are few particular points from last night I want to share with the medical marijuana community.

First, most of the forms are voluntary! You do not have to use the DOR forms to track the data points they are requiring you to track. If you want you can create your own forms or modify your own POS systems to track this information and spit it out in a report if you are audited.

One form that is mandatory is the Transportation Manifest. This form must be filled out, sent to the DOR and approved by the DOR before transporting any medical marijuana from one business to another. The DOR approval staff is a little overworked and their response times are uncertain. It is to your benefit to submit requests for transportation at least 4 days before you actually plan on transporting mmj.

One work around to this delay is to regularly send in Transportation Manifests whether you actually transport the mmj or not. Barbara specifically stated that there is no penalty for cancelling an approved transportation run. Sorry Barbara for the extra work but some business are devastated when their Transportation Manifests are not approved in a timely manner.

As always, I hope this information is helpful but it is no substitute to seeking the advice of counsel as we participate in the greatest industrial revolution of our generation!