House Bill 1284 Gets Friendlier To Patients & Dispensary Industry

Changes to HB 1284 that make the law friendlier to dispensary and patient interests have come as welcome news to medical marijuana patients in Colorado.

A divided House Judiciary Committee removed a provision that would have allowed local governments to ban dispensaries in their communities. The committee also voted to allow consumption of marijuana-infused products at dispensaries, lower the amount of marijuana a dispensary would have to grow itself, eliminate a cap on the number of patients a dispensary could serve and loosen the rules for past criminal violations that could automatically disqualify someone from owning a dispensary.

Dispensaries would now have to be licensed by the state of Colorado, and grow seven tenths of the medicine that they sell. One of the most important changes to the bill eliminates the proposed cap on patients a dispensary can provide care for, as well as a ban on eating marijuana edibles on the premises of a dispensary.

The changes also prohibit towns from banning dispensaries.

The committee was split, with Democrats favoring the patient friendly changes. Tom Massey, R-Poncha Springs is upset that the changes will not allow towns to ban dispensaries.

Conservative opponents of medical marijuana continue to claim that Amendment 20 does not allow a dispensary system.