Tag: Colorado

4/19/21--Weed delivery is likely starting in Denver this summer after the Denver City Council unanimously agreed Monday to overhaul the local industry with two sweeping measures. Although Denver Department of Excise and Licenses spokesman Eric Escudero said city officials could be ready for weed delivery to begin by late summer, it’s not clear when the clubs, buses and shuttles would open. Read

4/18/21--The Denver City Council will hold its final vote on three bills Monday that could lead to what many consider the biggest shift in marijuana policy since Amendment 64, which made recreational marijuana legal in 2014. If approved, the laws would allow marijuana delivery, and marijuana hospitality businesses within the city and county. Read

4/9/21--The Editor's note leading to the article expresses that Robert Corry played a prominent and pivotal role in the movement to legalize marijuana in Colorado. He helped draft groundbreaking Amendment 64 on Colorado’s 2012 statewide ballot — permitting production and retail sales of recreational pot. Yet, nearly a decade after voter approval of his handiwork, he now professes deep disappointment and wide-ranging regrets and decries the legal marijuana industry’s “crony” capitalism and its cozy relationship with government. Read

4/6/21--A recent study from Colorado State University, conducted by Hailey Summers, a graduate student in the CSU Department of Mechanical Engineering, confirms cannabis cultivation has a significant climate impact in Colorado. Hailey Summers, a graduate student in the CSU Department of Mechanical Engineering, The research, published in Nature Sustainability, estimated indoor cannabis growing now accounts for 1.3 percent of the state’s total greenhouse gas emissions. Read

3/29/21--Colorado Governor Jared Polis, in partnership with Colorado State University, Colorado Department of Agriculture, Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, Colorado Division of Regulatory Agencies, and Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade, announced the release of the Colorado Hemp Advancement and Management Plan (CHAMP) report. The CHAMP report is the result of a collaborative effort that brought together top subject matter experts from the hemp industry, higher education, and regulatory fields to explore important questions regarding the economic advancement and regulatory management of the hemp industry in Colorado. Read

3/8/21--Legal cannabis production in Colorado emits more greenhouse gases than the state’s coal mining industry, researchers analyzing the sector’s energy use have found. They found that emissions varied widely by state, from 2.3 to 5.2 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) per kilogram of dried flower produced. Read

2/11/21--According to new data released by the state Department of Revenue, businesses in Colorado have sold about $10 billion of marijuana since it was legalized for recreational use in 2014. Marijuana sales in 2020 hit an all-time high for one year with $2.19 billion in total revenue, up from $1.75 billion in 2019. Marijuana revenue from 2020 surpassed figures from 2019 by the end of October. Read

2/12/21--The IRS has argued that the fight that Denver-based marijuana dispensary Standing Akimbo has presented over summonses related to possible business deductions shouldn’t be heard by the Supreme Court because the tax code explicitly bars such businesses from receiving deductions. Read  

2/4/21--State Rep. Yadira Caraveo, a pediatrician and Thornton Democrat, said she is still revising the bill she plans to introduce this month, but one of the main provisions would ban legal marijuana products above 15% THC — the psychoactive compound responsible for the marijuana high. The ban would apply to flower and edibles. THC in flower products can top off close to 30%, while concentrates generally run at 70-80%. Read

2/1/21--Studies have shown that the pandemic has exacerbated risky driving behaviors – including impaired driving by alcohol and marijuana. According to a report released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in October 2020, while traffic fatality numbers decreased nationally in the first and second quarters of 2020, traffic volumes decreased more significantly than did the number of fatal crashes – meaning the traffic fatality rate per 100 million vehicle miles traveled actually went up significantly between the two quarters nationwide, from 1.10 to 1.4. Read

1/11/21--DUID Victim Voices provides a summary of relevant data from 11 sources on Colorado's drugged driving problem. It has been reported that the percentage of drivers who admit to driving after marijuana use is the following: 18.6% of past-30 day adult marijuana users and 54.4%% of past-30 day high school student marijuana users (11.2% of students/20.6% of past-30 day users). Read

1/8/21--The Colorado Department of Revenue (DOR), in conjunction with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE), is issuing a health and safety advisory due to the identification of potentially unsafe levels of Total Yeast and Mold on Retail Marijuana flower (bud/shake/trim) produced by Carrick-Harvest, LLC. The CDPHE and DOR deem it a threat to public health and safety when marijuana is found to have levels of Total Yeast and Mold above the acceptable limits established in Marijuana Enforcement Division (MED) rule 4-115. Read

12/29/20--Colorado’s industry is hoping to ride the momentum of a banner year caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, and one such wave to watch is marijuana delivery. The Aurora City Council recently approved an ordinance to set up a delivery program that allows residents to order marijuana to their doorsteps. Likewise, Denver recently unveiled draft rules for medical and recreational delivery in hopes of accepting applications by July 1, though it’s unclear when the City Council will move on the proposal. Read

12/28/20--Heather Jackson came into the cannabis space when her son Zaki was diagnosed with a rare form of childhood epilepsy. Due to the success of Zaki’s CBD treatment, Jackson became immersed in helping other families in the same situation. The outcome was in establishing the Realm of Caring Foundation, which has grown to a staggering network of 100,000, with patients from around the world being helped. Read

12/31/20--January 1, 2021 for all regulated marijuana businesses across Colorado, specifically expanding on the state’s Social Equity Program for cannabis businesses and eliminating residency requirements for employees. Read

11/5/20--Twelve towns voted on marijuana sales or tax issues (or both) this week. Unofficial results show that eight communities approved allowing retail pot businesses within their borders, while two towns rejected that possibility, and two more okayed special sales taxes on commercial marijuana transactions. Read

10/1/20--As expressed by The Gazette editorial board, Colorado’s experiment with legal recreational marijuana — authorized by voters in 2012, with the first storefronts opening in 2014 — continues to charge ahead amid mixed results. Yet, at the same time, the question of whether the costs outweigh the presumed benefits continues to nag — at policy makers, even if many don’t care to admit it — as well as at the public at large. Read

10/13/20--Three localities in Colorado will vote on whether to allow recreational marijuana sales in their jurisdictions in November. For years, Littleton, Lakewood and Buena Vista have allowed medical cannabis to be sold. But the jurisdictions have blocked retail marijuana from being sold. Read

9/28/20--The national organization Smart Approaches to Marijuana, or SAM, has been assessing and chronicling the collateral damage in Colorado and across the country. Today, SAM released its fourth annual “Lessons Learned” report, a comprehensive review of the wide-ranging effects of legalization in states where it has been tried. As with previous years’ assessments by SAM, the Colorado-specific data is eye-opening and troubling. Read

8/19/20--A powerful faction of Colorado's cannabis industry is pushing for more tolerant testing requirements for marijuana concentrates. Representatives of marijuana extraction companies, trade organizations and a testing laboratory told MED and Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment officials that proposed pesticide testing levels for marijuana concentrates, such as wax, THC oil vaporizer products, bubble hash and live resin don't need to be so strict. Read

8/26/20--The Colorado Department of Revenue (DOR), in conjunction with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE), is issuing a health and safety advisory due to the identification of potentially unsafe levels of microbial contamination on Retail Marijuana flower (bud/shake/trim) produced by 4900 Jackson LLC (DBA Sundance Gardens). Read

8/3/20--Today, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) released the latest statewide and regional results from the bi-annual statewide Healthy Kids Colorado Survey (HKCS), the state’s only comprehensive survey on the health and well-being of young people, in middle school and high school. Read

7/14/20--Homeless encampments, also known as 'tent cities' are growing exponentially in Denver. A growing chorus of critics say the city has been unable to control the issue during the pandemic, an inability to offer real solutions in a time of crisis. According to Terese Howard, homeless advocate with Denver Homeless Out Loud, her organization and others have been begging the city to do more. Read

7/14/20--Homeless encampments are growing exponentially in Denver. Critics say the city has been unable to control the issue during the pandemic and doesn't have the ability to offer real solutions in a time of crisis. Read

7/10/20--Kinfolk Farms has issued a recall over concerns regarding banned pesticide use during plant production, according to the Colorado Marijuana Enforcement Division. Two marijuana harvest batches have been recalled after the MED and the Colorado Department of Health and Public Environment determined that growers were using banned pesticides. Read

7/7/20--Colorado has filed a lawsuit against an e-cigarette manufacturer Juul Labs Inc., saying the company marketed products to children and downplayed health risks. State Attorney General Phil Weiser said Juul falsely suggested its vaping products are a healthy smoking alternative and can help people quit using cigarettes. Read

7/6/20-- CBD of Denver, Inc., a full-line CBD and Hemp oil company ("CBDD") selling Black Pearl CBD and hemp products and the owner of CBD Social Network announced that its wholly owned subsidiary Rockflowr GmbH, has access to a proprietary process to reduce the THC level in cannabis flowers. Read

6/18/20--Stanley Brothers, the parent company of the Charlotte’s Web CBD brand, are launching a new brand for THC products. The brand is called ReCreate, and its products will contain THC and CBD, combined with botanicals and other ingredients. Read

6/8/20--The majority of Denver’s cannabis-focused businesses are owned and staffed by white residents, leading to a lack of opportunities for people of color to get involved in the industry, according to a city study released Monday. According to Denver’s Cannabis Business and Employment Opportunity Study, 74.6% of owners of licensed cannabis businesses within city and county limits are white, as are 68% of employees. Read

5/18/20--The Denver Department of Excise and Licenses has formed a Marijuana Licensing Work Group (MLWG) to gather community input regarding the new marijuana licenses created by the State of Colorado in 2019, Denver’s Cannabis Equity Program, and the City’s 2020 Marijuana Workplan. Read

4/30/20--Three illegal marijuana growing operations were uncovered and raided in El Paso County on Wednesday, with more than 700 plants, worth an estimated $700,000, seized. Investigators also seized $28,000 and five firearms while serving search warrants at three locations, according to a sheriff’s office news release. Read

5/1/20--In 2016, Denver Auditor Timothy O'Brien released a report calling for more transparency and efficiency in how the City of Denver spends cannabis tax revenue. Four years later, O'Brien's is taking the city to task over what the auditor believes are shaky cannabis tax collecting and reporting practices, as well as a lack of discipline over black-market delivery services. Read

4/21/20--In an op-ed published in Colorado Politics, Luke Niforatos, chief of staff and senior policy adviser at Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM), discusses Colorado, Gov. Jared Polis decision to restrict marijuana businesses to operating on a curbside or takeout-style service only. As a result, the industry quickly revolted and Polis completely caved allowing full indoor sales to carry on as usual. It took even less time for Denver Mayor Michael Hancock to appease the influential marijuana lobby. Read

4/21/20--The Colorado Department of Agriculture’s (CDA) Phytosanitary, Seed and Nursery programs facilitate export of hemp seeds and clones/transplants across the U.S. and the world and offer important protections for farmers. These regulatory programs mandate truthful labeling and freedom from pests and diseases. To facilitate movement of plants, CDA inspects the material and issues a phytosanitary certificate stating freedom of specific quarantine pests to meet the restriction. Read

4/10/20--Colorado was one of the first states in the US to legalize the personal use and possession of marijuana. Using various estimation techniques, the purpose of this study is to examine the possible demographic and spatial factors influencing the voting behavior of Coloradans on the issue of recreational marijuana legalization. Read

3/30/20--A study from the National Institute on Drug Abuse, which is within the National Institutes of Health, reports smoking marijuana may increase a person's risk for contracting the novel coronavirus. Two national advocacy groups are citing the study as a reason for removing the “essential” designation from dispensaries in states where recreational use of marijuana is legal. Read

1/23/20--Dozens of people stood in line outside Argonaut’s, a liquor store in Denver, following Mayor Michael Hancock's announcement issuing a stay-at-home order which first listed liquor stores and recreational marijuana shops as non-essential. Read

3/25/20--When Denver Mayor Michael Hancock announced recreational marijuana shops would be forced to close under the city’s stay-at-home order Monday, the response from customers was swift. They swarmed local dispensaries to stock up on products and caused enough of a stir that the mayor rescinded the moratorium just three hours later. Colorado Gov. Jared Polis deemed marijuana dispensaries “critical” retail businesses, meaning they’re allowed to remain open during the coronavirus pandemic with some restrictions, and on Monday, Denver dispensaries saw their biggest sales day of the year so far. Read

3/11/20--Smart Colorado, an advocacy group seeking to protect children from marijuana, has sent more than 2,300 letters to localities and chambers of commerce in the state urging their jurisdictions to opt out of social consumption of marijuana. Read

3/16/20--Fort Collins, Colorado, cannabis retailer Organic Alternatives closed voluntarily on Monday over concerns about the spread of coronavirus. This is one of the first known instances of a cannabis retailer voluntarily closing because of coronavirus fears, but many more marijuana shops likely could do the same soon despite the loss in sales they’ll experience. Read

1/12/20--Three Denver dispensaries issued a voluntarily recall on marijuana products Friday due to elevated yeast and mold counts. Altitude East, Altitude West, and Altitude the Dispensary made the recall after an investigation by the Denver Department of Public Health and Environment found “potentially unsafe levels of yeast/mold” in plant material, according to a news release. Read

1/10/20--Denver-based dispensary chain Altitude the Dispensary has issued a marijuana recall over mold and yeast concerns, according to a public health notice from the Denver Department of Public Health and Environment. The recall began after samples collected during DDPHE visits to Altitude dispensaries in late December failed state-approved contaminant testing, according to department inspection records. Read

12/8/19--In an Op-ed by Dafna Michaelson Jenet published in The Colorado Sun, Jenet refers to the growth of youth suicide in Colorado at a rate of 59% over the past three years as an all-out emergency and a public health crisis. According to a study by the United Health Foundation, teen suicide now accounts for one out of every five adolescent deaths, and the teen suicide rate in Colorado has grown at a rate nearly double the national average. Read

11/2/19--Authorities in Eagle County arrested three men last week after finding 82 pounds of marijuana in their car. D’Trevion Turner, 20, Tryce Jackson, 19, and Latravion Briggs, 20, were charged with distribution of marijuana — more than 50 pounds, and conspiracy to commit distribution of marijuana — more than 50 pounds. The three suspects were arrested and booked into the Eagle County Detentions facility. Read

10/30/19--Denver recently conducted random tests of more than two dozen local dispensaries to learn more about potential yeast and mold issues with marijuana, and the results weren't good. Of the reports filed between September 9 and September 11, twenty listed at least one or more hold and quarantine orders for cannabis flower, shake or pre-rolled joints, an 80 percent failure rate. Each of those disciplinary actions was tied to plant matter testing above the maximum allowed for total yeast and mold. Read

9/30/19--Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment is conducting a study of terpenes, the organic compounds that make the cannabis plant smell so strong. The study will be the most robust of its kind and builds on the research of William Vizuete, an associate professor at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill. His study found cannabis grows could contribute anywhere from 66 to 657 tons of emissions per year. Compared to the total VOCs found in the state, that’s about a half a percent to 3.5 percent increase. Read

10/2/19--Prominent Denver attorney Robert Corry was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence last week, his third arrest since June. Corry, who represents the Texas truck driver charged in April’s deadly Interstate 70 crash, was also cited for failing to report an accident, careless driving and leaving the scene of an accident involving injury, according to a Denver police probable cause statement. Read

9/17/19--According to a new report by the United Health Foundation, Colorado had the highest increase in the teen suicide rate in the U.S. since 2016. Dr. Linda Genen, the group’s chief medical officer for women’s health, said Colorado's teen suicide rate increased 58 percent from 2016 to 2019, but the reason is unclear. In the past three years, teen suicide in Colorado rose from 12.9 to 20.4 deaths per 100,000 adolescents ages 15-19, according to the report. Overall, that rate put Colorado as the sixth worst state. Read

8/23/19--It is increasingly becoming a more common case of confusion in Colorado involving two types of cannabis plants, marijuana and hemp. Hemp and marijuana are both cannabis plants but hemp contains a much lower level of the psychoactive ingredient THC. Read

7/12/19--During the 10th annual Western Conservative Summit, Democratic Gov. Jared Polis extended a hand to his political rivals by stating, “our state of Colorado is big enough for all of us to live our lives according to our values” even as his critics responded with shouts for a “recall.” Polis is a prominent advocate for “Medicare for All.” He signed legislation this year to expand access to marijuana. Read

7/9/19--The 11 states with legal recreational pot are grappling with how to handle public and social consumption. In Massachusetts, regulators are moving cautiously on pot cafes after health and law enforcement officials in Governor Charlie Baker’s administration mounted opposition last year over concerns about increased cannabis consumption and stoned driving. Read

6/30/19--There are ripple effects after five years of legal marijuana in Colorado. The state's first-in-the-nation experiment has reshaped health, politics, rural culture, and criminal justice in surprising ways that often defy both the worst warnings of critics and blue-sky rhetoric of the marijuana industry, giving a glimpse of what the future may hold as more and more states adopt and debate full legalization. Read

7/1/19--After years of requests to obtain GMP certification, a requirement set forth by the FDA for all consumable products manufactured for commercial distribution in the United States, Haleigh's Hope, Inc. announces that the company's efforts finally paid off on May 9, 2019. After several lawsuits and successful policy changes, GMP certification is now possible for state and federally compliant cannabis manufacturing facilities. Read

6/17/19--Colorado is among the wealthiest, healthiest states in the nation but has a higher teen and child death rate than the national average, a rate that has grown worse over the past two decades. The reason is suicide, which reached an all-time high in 2017 and is the leading cause of death for Coloradans ages 10-24. Read

4/10/2019--Colorado Sun investigation to mark the 20th anniversary of the 1999 Columbine shooting found the number of threat assessments at Colorado school districts has surged in recent years, multiplying more than tenfold in some districts. School officials say they are a necessary step to prevent student violence of all types, including the worst-case scenario, a mass shooting like Columbine, which left 13 victims dead and woke the nation to the possibility that classrooms could become killing grounds. Read

5/8/19--Voters in Denver appeared to have voted down a first-in-the nation plan to decriminalize the use and possession of "magic mushrooms" known for sending users on psychedelic journeys. Unofficial results suggested Measure 301 was on track to fail, with 46.5% in favor and 54.5% opposed. Read

5/7/19--Colorado lawmakers have approved changes to measures opening the state to social pot use and commercial marijuana delivery, as well as approving new medical conditions for medical marijuana. Additional changes could come through that address sunsetting laws in the state's medical marijuana program and pot industry. Read

4/26/19--Although a bill that would impose regulations on social marijuana use is largely supported by the marijuana industry, The Green Solution, Colorado's second-largest dispensary chain, came out in opposition of House Bill 1230 during the bill's first state Senate hearing in a finance committee on Thursday, April 25. Read  

3/13/19--As Colorado’s marijuana industry has grown to top $6 billion in sales in its fifth year of legalization, the cannabis lobby at the Capitol is also growing, in numbers, spending and stature. A Colorado Sun analysis of state level lobbying spending illustrates the rise of the cannabis lobby since July 2012, with spending more than tripling from fiscal 2013 to more than $955,000 in 2018. Spending in the first seven months of fiscal year 2019, almost $670,000, is almost equal to the sum spent in all of 2017. Read