Now, People's Cannabis News has edited these remarks together in a sort of dance remix of tough-talking warnings. Check out the results above, and look below to read the Cannabis Therapy Institute's latest take on Romer and more.
Video: Auditors with Guns will Control Colorado Medical MarijuanaSenator Chris Romer (D-Denver) is one of the co-sponsors of HB1284 and SB109, two bills in the Colorado legislature which seek to eliminate 95% of the dispensaries and patients in the state.
Romer discussed the bills at a meeting of the Medical Marijuana Business Alliance on April 15, 2010 at the Loews Hotel in Denver. His comments were shocking to the audience. He used the phrase "auditors with guns" dozens of times when describing the medical marijuana regulatory regime he envisions. Members of the Cannabis Therapy Institute were in attendance and sent out a press release the next day. On 4/20, the People's Cannabis News released a video of the event with clips from Romer's speech.
Romer started out on a threatening note. "If you all don't clean up your own house, we're going to clean it up for you." And then, "Certainly if we send some auditors with guns, we're gonna really clean it up fast."
Romer described the new medical marijuana regime, saying the Department of Revenue would be the main regulatory agency. "These people audit with guns," he said. "They'll probably be at the dispensary or grow house about every 5 to 7 days." He continued, "You are gonna get to know your auditor. Your auditor is gonna be your best friend. He's gonna have a gun, but that's OK."
This Law Enforcement Model to Medicine, run by "auditors with guns", will destroy patients' safe access to medicine. Every gram of cannabis will be checked at the whim of "auditors with guns" from seed to patient. Romer says, "That same auditor with a gun is gonna force you to destroy the amount of medical marijuana that is not allocated to the patient."
Romer repeated the phrase "auditors with guns" dozens of times in his 20 minute speech, almost seeming gleeful at the thought. "There's a huge debate about how many of those auditors with guns we need."
At this meeting, Romer was also asked how much a state dispensary license would cost. He replied that the fee could be up to $50,000 a year, maybe more.
These bills will create a government-sponsored monopoly of a few mega-Walmart dispensaries. Instead of following the will of the voters to allow caregivers to take care of their patients, these laws will force out many truly compassionate caregivers who serve only a small number of people, leaving the industry open only to well-funded dispensaries focused on profit, not patients. And it will be a big profit, once 95% of their competition has been eliminated.
Patients before Profits!
Kill HB1284 and SB109
Call and email your Senators and Representatives. Let's get the phones ringing!
House Offices: (303) 866-2904 Senate Offices: (303) 866-2316
Please send us copies of any emails you send or reports on calls you made.
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