Board of Health postpones next medical-marijuana meeting

Photo by Joel Warner

A photo from the last Board of Health meeting about medical marijuana earlier this month.

Medical-marijuana entrepreneurs and patients, among others, have been waiting with trepidation for the next Board of Health meeting, slated for December 16, at which its recent tweak of the "caregiver" definition was expected to be revisited following a Denver District Court ruling throwing it out.

Well, the wait just got a little longer. The board has announced that it's postponing the sit-down -- and no new date has been set. The release says only, "The board will explore its legal options before determining how to proceed."

That's extraordinarily vague, not to mention deliberate -- especially considering that the initial board action was deemed an "emergency." See the entire release below:

Board of Health Postpones Dec. 16 Rulemaking Concerning the Medical Marijuana Registry Program

DENVER -- At its meeting on Nov. 18, the state Board of Health voted to postpone its rulemaking hearing scheduled for Dec. 16 concerning the proposed repeal of the definition of "significant responsibility for managing the well-being of a patient" (Regulation 2 A(iii), 5 CCR 1006-2).

The postponement comes following a Nov. 10 decision by Denver District Court Judge Larry Naves that voided the Board of Health's Nov. 3 emergency rulemaking. That rulemaking had eliminated language about the regulatory definition of "significant responsibility" as that term relates to primary caregivers for medical marijuana patients.

As stewards of Colorado's public health, the board recognizes and considers the needs and health of all Colorado citizens in its actions and will continue to seek appropriate input in its public proceedings.

The board will explore its legal options before determining how to proceed. Please continue to check the Board of Health's Web site, http://www.cdphe.state.co.us/op/bh/index.html, for information about rescheduling of the hearing.