This weekend, at a gathering of publishers from across the country, all the talk was about Colorado and pot -- and they weren't just asking if I was carrying. No, they wanted to know about the booming business in medical-marijuana dispensaries in this state -- and the equally booming municipal monkey business of trying to regulate those dispensaries.
The Boulder City Council weighed in last week, nixing the idea of a moratorium in favor of a modest set of guidelines that, among other things, will prevent dispensaries from lighting up too close to schools. But action in other, less liberal towns around the state this week could put a lid on the pot party.
At 7 p.m. tonight, the Grand Junction City Council will hold a public hearing on an emergency moratorium on medical marijuana dispensaries. The Pueblo Board of County Commissioners will consider an emergency moratorium at a meeting at 9 a.m. Tuesday, November 17.
At 6 p.m. tomorrow, the Fort Collins City Council will hold a hearing on the same topic. Ditto for the Loveland City Council, whose meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday.
And on Wednesday morning, look for Denver City Councilman Charlie Brown to roll out his proposal for regulating dispensaries in Denver.
Smoke it while you've got it.