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Marijuana Use in Denver Businesses Begins in Summer 2017

Denver Social Marijuana Use

Denver officials are working to reduce conflict surrounding Initiative 300, which will allow for the social use of marijuana in some businesses – a law that will be similar to Amsterdam’s and the first of its kind in the U.S.

Denver City Council members voice that there is still much work to do in solidifying permitting and licensing rules. Denver Department of Excise and Licenses executive director, Ashley Kilroy, said, “Our plan is to implement the will of the voters within the confines of the law,” but the hardest part of implementing Initiative 300 is determining what exactly the confines of the law are, according to The Denver Post.

Many issues are arising. For instance, businesses require approval from other neighborhood business in order to apply for a license, and Colorado law prohibits open/public consumption of marijuana.

Consultation of existing laws must be done to determine what a “public place” is defined as and safeguards maintaining compliance with Colorado state law and Amendment 64 must also be established. It is also pointed out that potential changes to federal guidance regarding marijuana could arise as president-elect Trump takes office.

An advisory committee will be set-up soon, and welcomes the involvement of community members as well as industry experts, business owners, supporters and opponents of Initiative 300. The committee will be titled The Social Consumption Advisory Committee. Part of its duties will be to help create regulations for Initiative 300.

Applications will be accepted beginning January 21, 2017. As regulations are still being sorted, application approval isn’t likely until summer 2017, as long as the council is in the proper place to accept them.

Kilroy said, “We won’t begin accepting (applications) until we’ve gotten through the process and know what the rules will be.”

Council member Robin Kneich said, “I think we’re setting expectations for frustration if the community thinks they’re going to come in and have a debate about whether this is good or bad. That debate happened during that election.”