Psychoactive Drugs

Medical marijuana patients face 5-to-10 years in prison for owning a gun, says ATF

The Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives sent out a memo last week clarifying their stance that a sportsman with a shotgun and a medical marijuana card is no different than a cocaine dealer with a silenced TEC-9.

Medical marijuana reviewer job celebrates its second anniversary at Westword

​In the fall of 2009, local officials looked around and suddenly discovered that the medical marijuana business was booming in Denver. In fact, it might have been the city's only growth industry at the time. The national media discovered the story, too -- and when Westword advertised for a med ... More >>

Medical marijuana: Study shows dispensaries may create safer neighborhoods

Do medical marijuana dispensaries make neighborhoods safer? That's the conclusion of a study by the RAND Corporation, which counters the widespread perception that MMJ businesses attract crime.

Medical marijuana fundraiser in Denver aims to fight proposed Fort Collins MMC ban, ignorance

Organic Alternatives​In July, a group called Concerned Fort Collins Citizens petitioned the city to prohibit medical marijuana dispensaries, and their effort was a success. Now, voters will be asked to approve a ban on November 1 -- and to help fight this effort, Citizens For Safer Neighborhoo ... More >>

Medical marijuana dispensary banned in Windsor now patient resource center

​Last November, voters in Windsor outlawed medical marijuana dispensaries -- and as a result, In Harmony Wellness was forced to close this past May. But despite being forbidden to sell cannabis, the business is back as a patient resource center. Today, its owners are staging an open house to r ... More >>

Medical marijuana lawsuit: State says no one in Colorado has fundamental right to MMJ

Kathleen Chippi.​On June 30, Kathleen Chippi and supporters filed a lawsuit claiming that medical marijuana regulations violate the state constitution, which made MMJ legal in Colorado. Now, the state has responded by arguing in part that patients don't have a fundamental right to use medical ... More >>

Medical marijuana: Dispensary license fees in Breckenridge as much as double Denver's?

​Breckenridge is known as one of the most pot-friendly cities in the pot-friendly state of Colorado. But that doesn't mean opening up a medical marijuana dispensary in town is cheap. Licensing costs there could potentially be more than double the amount charged in Denver, which critics often ... More >>

Medical marijuana dispensaries in the high country about to get Colorado's blessing

​Despite rumors that state licenses wouldn't be issued until next year at the earliest, several medical marijuana clinic owners in the mountains say they have reached the final stages of the application process and are within weeks of getting the final okay from the Medical Marijuana Enforceme ... More >>

THC driving limit: Task Force member says no recommendation wouldn't stop new bill

​Yesterday, the Drug Policy Task Force met to consider THC driving limits. The DUID-marijuana working group studying the subject couldn't agree on a proposal last week, and Task Force member Senator Pat Steadman thinks its inability to do so may prevent THC-driving legislation from being bless ... More >>

Medical marijuana ads for happy hours, back-to-school specials could face new Boulder reg

​Boulder may have a reputation as the Weed Capitol of the United States, but the city's medical marijuana center licensing requirements are arguably tougher than Denver's. And they could get even more stringent if city council passes an MMJ advertising proposal it'll mull over tonight.

Medical marijuana: Rally supports Bob Crouse, MMJ patient charged after paperwork snafu

Bob Crouse.​Last month, we shared the story of longtime Colorado Springs restaurateur and medical marijuana patient Bob Crouse, charged with felony cultivation and distribution after a doctor-recommended application that he be allowed to grow more plants was returned due to a technical error. ... More >>

Medical marijuana: Patients who only need caretaker for pot can't have one, new rules say

​The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment's new rules about the "Medical Use of Marijuana" went into effect on July 31 and have caused few gripes thus far. But attorney Warren Edson sees several problems with the regs on view below, including contradictions with HB 1043, the so ... More >>

Medical marijuana: 10 out of 15 dispensaries rejected by Boulder filing appeals

​Boulder's got a reputation for being very medical-pot-friendly -- but as Patricia Calhoun reported, Denver has been more liberal about licensing MMJ businesses. Why? Boulder spokesman Patrick von Keyserling says his community hasn't compared its rules to those used in Denver. But the majority ... More >>

Fort Collins group petitions to ban medical marijuana centers

​If a group of Fort Collins residents gets its way, patient access to medical marijuana in the northern Colorado college town could be severely limited. The Concerned Fort Collins Citizens (CFCC) filed a petition to ban pot shops on Tuesday, handing in more than 7,500 signatures. If they're de ... More >>

Medical marijuana could be legalized in more than half of U.S. states by 2014, advocate says

​Could the broader approval of medical marijuana lead to legalization of marijuana for recreational use? That's one theory put forward by cannabis activists like Morgan Fox, communications manager for the Marijuana Policy Project. Fox believes more than half of U.S. states could legalize MMJ b ... More >>

Marijuana legalization: Legalize 2012 objects to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol Act name

Tvert & Vicente.​The firestorm of invective at the Great Legalization Debate suggested that parties behind competing marijuana-reform measures for the 2012 ballot might not be exactly rooting for each other. More evidence: Legalize2012.com has created a guideline for reporters that objects to ... More >>

Medical marijuana and pharmacists: A prescription for confusion?

​What should pharmacists do about medical marijuana? Because it's a criminalized substance under federal law, pharmacists, like other health-care workers, aren't supposed to have anything to do with it. On the other hand, pharmacists want to meet the needs of their patients, many of whom have ... More >>

Proponents of marijuana legalization know that where there's smoke, there's ire

Marijuana legalization debate preview: Meet the advocates who'll be hashing it out

Free me.​It's fitting that Wednesday night's debate between Colorado cannabis activists has been dubbed "Round One." The event is being advertised as a "lively and friendly" debate -- but if it's as impassioned and fiery as the comments on our marijuana blogs have been, it might be closer to ... More >>

War on drugs' 40th anniversary: Protesters at Skyline Park say policy has failed (PHOTOS)

​Forty years ago today, President Richard Nixon declared war on drugs -- and according to protesters who gathered at Skyline Park earlier today, that's forty years too many for a failed policy that's done more damage than good not only to America, but to countries around the world.

Medical marijuana: Board of Health passes new driving rules, caregiver language (PHOTOS)

​Cannabis Therapy Institute's Laura Kriho raised concern about new regulations to be enacted by the Board of Health at a meeting yesterday. And following the marathon session, she's still worried, especially about what she sees as "a backdoor method to create a new crime: DUI-MM" -- driving un ... More >>

Medical marijuana: Is health board ready to pass THC driving reg like one that died in legislature?

​At 9 a.m., the Board of Health is scheduled to consider a series of new rules pertaining to medical marijuana patients and caregivers -- and the Cannabis Therapy Institute's Laura Kriho has objections to a lot of them. She's particularly incensed by potential changes in the definition of care ... More >>

Medical marijuana cost Paul Curry his job at MillerCoors: Could it set legal precedent?

​Paul Curry recently lost his job at MillerCoors in Golden for testing positive for pot -- even though he's a registered medical marijuana patient. Now, having retained big-shot pot attorney Rob Corry, Curry is fighting that decision in a move that could set state precedent over whether or not ... More >>

Marijuana: 11-month-old choppered to hospital after MMJ reaction, mom under investigation

​As medical marijuana has become more prevalent, law enforcers have been reporting more instances of kids having negative reactions to pot -- like a March 2010 report about a ten-month-old hospitalized after ingesting an MMJ edible. Now comes word of an eleven-month old in Longmont who had a s ... More >>

Medical marijuana and American Express: Credit card company prohibits pot purchases

Flickr.​Patients who've tried to charge their medical marijuana purchases to American Express recently made an unpleasant discovery: As of April 30, American Express started denying all such transactions. "American Express has made a decision not to allow card acceptance for medical marijuana, ... More >>

Medical marijuana attorney Lauren Davis tells why lawyer group hasn't sued to stop HB 1284

Lauren Davis.​Last week, medical marijuana advocate Kathleen Chippi, who's collecting funds for a lawsuit to stop HB 1284, Colorado's main MMJ regulatory measure, criticized attorneys who'd announced their intention to sue over the bill last year but haven't done so. Why not? Lauren Davis, a l ... More >>

Medical marijuana provided free by Namaste Hospice for end-of-life relief

​In a striking example of medical marijuana's growing legitimacy, the Denver-based Namaste Hospice will begin offering free medical marijuana to patients with terminal illnesses. While end-of-life care might not seem like the most cutting-edge of industries, Namaste, which has been providing D ... More >>

Marijuana advocate seeks $ for HB 1284 suit, chides lawyers who pledged to sue but didn't

Kathleen Chippi.​Kathleen Chippi is among the area's most active medical marijuana activists; see a video of her below going after both current Denver mayoral candidate Chris Romer and Colorado Attorney General John Suthers. Her latest mission: to raise funds for a lawsuit to stop official imp ... More >>

Our updated medical-marijuana directory

​Green Meadows Wellness, William Breathes's latest medical marijuana dispensary review subject, is one of many entries in our MMJ listings, freshly updated to correspond with the latest edition of The Chronic-le. Look for it around town -- but first, click to access our medical-marijuana dispe ... More >>

THC driving impairment varies widely in upcoming HDNet World Report test

​Update below: HB 1261, a bill to set THC driving standards, was put on hold by the Senate judiciary committee last month only to be revived and fast-tracked late in the legislative session. But it died in a Senate vote due in part to the enormous variations in the way marijuana affects differ ... More >>

Medical marijuana: Longmont City Council moves toward dispensary ban

Longmont moves to ban dispensaries.​Last night, the Longmont City Council held a first reading of an ordinance that would ban medical marijuana centers in the city and restrict medical marijuana patients and primary caregivers. Judging from the 7-0 vote in favor of the ban, dispensary days are ... More >>

Medical marijuana letter from U.S. Attorney early attack on 2012 pot legalization campaign?

Brian Vicente.​Medical marijuana advocates have been debating the intent of U.S. Attorney John Walsh's letter attacking portions of HB 1043, a bill intended to tweak MMJ regs that became law last year. Among the theories: The letter is a warning shot in what will be a full-scale federal effort ... More >>

Joshua Wittig convicted of vehicular homicide in death of John Hines, was on pot and much more

Joshua Wittig.​The October arrest of then-eighteen-year-old Joshua Wittig in a fatal accident that killed John Page Hines, 33, was accompanied by allegations that Wittig was high on marijuana that he may have obtained by improperly claiming to be a licensed medical marijuana patient. But evide ... More >>

Medical marijuana software: Developers MJ Freeway and idWeeds roll out wired weed

​Colorado boasts a thriving medical marijuana industry as well as a vibrant tech scene. It's little wonder, then, that, courtesy of forward-thinking companies such as MJ Freeway and idWeeds, we're now starting to see inklings of a homegrown marijuana tech industry sprouting up along the Front ... More >>

Medical marijuana cultivation no different than other pot grows, says U.S. Attorneys Office

A 2009 weed bust.​U.S. Attorney John Walsh's letter objecting to elements of HB 1043, a bill meant to clean up parts of last year's medical marijuana rules, has alarmed activists and confused legislators like Senator Pat Steadman, the measure's co-sponsor. Could dispensary raids like those tak ... More >>

Reader: Linking sex assault, marijuana ban in legalization campaign demeans rape victims

Toni Fox.​Local voters are likely to consider at least two 2012 ballot initiatives to legalize marijuana for adult recreational use -- one from Legalize2012.com, another via a group featuring SAFER's Mason Tvert. And these two outfits have very different views judging by a Legalize2012.com re ... More >>

Our updated medical-marijuana directory

​William Breathes's 4/20 week medical marijuana dispensary review is a colorful one: Verde Wellness Center. But there's plenty more shades of green available in our newly updated MMJ listings. Click here to access our medical-marijuana dispensary directory.

NORML conference deserves honorary proclamation: Kenny Be's Worst-Case Scenario

​ The Denver mayor and City Council hand out an honorary proclamations nearly everyday. Organizations as varied as martial arts dojos and garden clubs are honored for their unique contributions to the city. It seems only fitting that NORML, a marijuana legalization group holding its convention ... More >>

Marijuana patients get their humor tested by nutty professor Peter McGraw in Wired

Peter McGraw.​Last August, I detailed the strange story of Peter McGraw, a CU-Boulder professor dead set on explaining what makes things funny. Since then, the odd tale has continued: A piece I penned for Wired magazine describes McGraw's continued efforts to crack the humor code, a scholarly ... More >>

High Times Medical Cannabis Cup: In terms of respectability, was the Cup half empty?

​The High Times Medical Cannabis Cup came into town on April 2 and 3, and left many attendees in what seemed like a permanent high. Westword pot critic William Breathes gushed that it was "one of the most amazing cannabis events in Colorado short of passing Amendment 20 nearly twelve years ago ... More >>

THC driving limits: Will pot critic William Breathes fail DUI blood test even when sober?

Mr. Breathes.​I guess you could classify me as a pretty heavy ganja smoker. To quote Zach Galifianakis, "Sometimes I smoke so much pot that I forget to smoke pot." Seriously though, I medicate at least twice a day and I'm fairly sure I have more than 5 nanograms of THC per milliliters of blood ... More >>

Our updated medical-marijuana directory

​In his latest medical marijuana dispensary review, William Breathes sets out to discover if A Cut Above earns its name. But there are plenty of other options, as you'll see when perusing our newly updated MMJ listings. Click here to access our medical-marijuana dispensary directory.

Medical marijuana: Does Melinda Haag's memo foreshadow federal MMJ raids in Colorado?

Melinda Haag.​While medical marijuana is legal in Colorado, it remains against U.S. law -- and the push and pull between the state and the feds continues to concern the local MMJ community. Case in point: The Haag memo, a letter sent in February by California-based U.S. Attorney Melinda Haag p ... More >>

Medical marijuana advocate's call not to disturb legislative process for bill stirs controversy

Greg Goldfogel.​ The Cannabis Therapy Institute sent out an "action alert" to its members regarding today's planned second reading of HB 1260, a bill to set THC driving limits. But after a similar alert last week regarding HB 1250, which originally sought to ban all MMJ edibles, infused-produc ... More >>

Medical marijuana: Donor complaints lead food bank to abandon dispensary pot-for-food drive

​Ever hear of a food bank turning down food? It happened yesterday -- because donations intended for Denver's Metro CareRing were part of a pot-for-food drive organized by Urban Cannabis, a South Downing Street medical marijuana dispensary. Urban Cannabis sales director Amy DiIullo is still tr ... More >>

Medical marijuana: Coca-Cola says it won't put Coke machines in dispensaries, then backtracks

​Does Coca-Cola have a corporate policy against putting Coke machines in medical marijuana dispensaries? That's the message delivered to award-winning Altitude Wellness Center a few days ago. But after AWC decided to go public with the rejection, Coca-Cola has backed down, with a representati ... More >>

Medical marijuana patients in subsidized housing don't have to be evicted, feds say

​The concern for MMJ patients living in subsidized housing is that while the state says they can puff for their pain, the federal government, which pays their rent, doesn't recognize cannabis as medicine. But are the feds loosening up?

Our updated medical-marijuana directory

​William Breathes's latest medical marijuana dispensary review focuses on Good Chemistry, a shop for the budget-minded patient. But there's plenty of options out there, as is clear from our newly updated MMJ listings. Click here to access our medical-marijuana dispensary directory.