Medical marijuana, felony convictions and wannabe patient rep Ken Weaver

Under Colorado's new laws, dispensary owners can't have recent felony convictions for any crime, or drug-related felony convictions ever. But the state doesn't seem as picky in other areas, as evidenced by the health department's pick of Ken Weaver, a Texas felon, to represent patients on the Medical Marijuana Registry...

By Patricia Calhoun

July 29, 2010

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Under Colorado's new laws, dispensary owners can't have recent felony convictions for any crime, or drug-related felony convictions ever. But the state doesn't seem as picky in other areas, as evidenced by the health department's pick of Ken Weaver, a Texas felon, to represent patients on the Medical Marijuana Registry Advisory Committee.

"In the Weeds: Why Did the Colorado Health Department Put a Texas Felon on its Pot Advisory Committee?," written by Joel Warner, documents that Weaver did time in Texas for stealing cars and a plane. He did his time twenty years ago -- which would technically make him eligible to run a dispensary. But his non-criminal record should have been enough to warn off the state. Weaver's assorted sins include falsifying his resume, and running a power company that racked up a record number of complaints from consumers.

This is the kind of person the state wants to represent MMJ patients? People who've already had to put up with months-long waits to get their cards, not to mention the illnesses and aches that made them patients in the first place?

The first meeting of the advisory committee is this morning. Westword will be there.

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Patricia Calhoun is editor-in-chief of Westword, the alt-weekly she co-founded in September 1977. She’s been inducted into the Colorado Press Association Hall of Fame, the Association of Alternative Newsmedia Hall of Fame and the Colorado Restaurant Association Hall of Fame. She’s also received dozens of local, state and national awards for writing, including first place for feature writing and first place for column writing with the Society of Professional Journalists. Patricia is a weekly commentator on Colorado Inside Out, PBS 12's public affairs roundtable, which has won two Emmys.

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