Wake-Up Call: Chris Romer's latest pot proposal

By Patricia Calhoun Sat., Jan. 2 2010 at 8:08 AM

Categories: Calhoun: Wake-Up Call

State senator Chris Romer has released the latest draft of his proposal to regulate the state's medical marijuana industry, which will be introduced after the legislation convenes on January 13.

You can read the current draft of Romer's bill here. He's trimmed close to thirty pages from the original proposal, and is looking for comments on the current version ASAP.

E-mail him at sen.romer@gmail.com, or simply post your comments below.

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Chris Romer, medical marijuana

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Hey there, folks: Counselor Corry has posted his reply to Romer's proposal, and it is a doozy. There are some jawdropping comments in its 12 pages; enjoy. http://cannabistherapyinstitute.com/bills/romer.draft.corry.comments1.pdf
This bill places absurdly unrealistic restrictions upon growers/clinics and punishes patients. Under Romer's proposal, a grower must grow in an agricultural or industrial zone and must have 500 or less plants. With the amount of patients registered (over 14,377 in August 2009 so likely over 20,000 now), that would be a minimum of 173 different warehouses or greenhouses that growers would need to buy/rent. The problem being that there are not 173 reasonable places to do this anywhere near the denver/metro area, unless the grower cares to pay out the ass for an unneccessarily large warehouse for just 500 plants. Do these people think from a business standpoint at all? How about some simple logic from our lawmakers. As a progressive, I am so fed up with Democrats right now. I voted for all dems in 2008, even in the primary caucus. That'll teach me to go mainstream.
as for he rest of the US states who are waiting for our day to come, we watch with anticipation as the political stories start to unfold. The old guard commit politics as usual blind to any process that allows mankind real freedom without taxation or the lining of the pockets. Shame is ...we allow this to happen. I just want Coloradans to know we're watching brothers and sisters and we are confidant you will act together as a group to keep the process real.
Courtney, you have struck to the heart of the matter. It is quite possible that MMJ patients are one of the largest voting blocks in the state: hell, Amendment 20 passed by a wider margin than the one that elected Bill Ritter! I don't know who Chris Romer thinks he's fooling but my guess is that this is going to come back and bite him in the ass.
Not to mention there are some, like me, legally allowed up to 4 oz at a time. Why should I be reported every time I purchase a legal amount of marijuana, that's ridiculous. Not to mention a huge waste of time and money for them to investigate and realize I'm not violating any law by having more than 2 oz at a time. A monthly report from growers about the status of every single plant? Why?? What is the reason or justification for that? Seems like the restrictions Romer is proposing are meant, at least in part, to discourage people from being in the medical marijuana industry. Do other Colorado farmers have to jump through the same hoops? What about including protections in the bill that matter, like from any Monsanto-like company entering the industry controlling, intimidating, and blackmailing growers like they do now with farmers all across the US. Romer is a freakin' moron if he thinks he endeared himself to the activists over the last few weeks. All of the activists despise him for this bill. The "green rush" has brought in a whole new element that activists should remember to use to their advantage. We can compete with Monsanto-like lobbyists with big business on our side and we can kill any bill or political career that we choose to.
Randy, Don't forget that our Constitution allows patients to purchase 2 ounces per day and this arrogant little quisling wants caregivers to inform on and the government to investigate any patient who purchases more than 2 oz a week! I am so sick and tired of these puffed up little turds using the issue of medical marijuana to get their names in the media: neither Romer, Ritter nor Brown give a hot damn about patients, access to natural medicine or the Constitution: they want now what they always have wanted: public recognition, political power through meaningless regulation, and public tax dollars to fund their personal agendas.
Thank You Martinez! That was the most appalling part of the Bill to me as well. Higher taxes will put all of us dispensaries out of business, and put the patient back in the alleys without protection and worst of all, a "caregiver" that really cares about them. This is an insane proposal at a time where we should be promoting healthy living and healing, versus encouraging harmful pharmacueticals that lead to addiction, and kill people everyday. (Famous and otherwise,...) I have faith that Colorado voters will support us, and "healthy holistic healing" alternatives,...afterall, that's one of the many reasons we all choose to live in Colorado, right? Regards, Medicine Man 101 N Main St. Suite 6 Breckenridge, CO. www.BreckMM.com
Samuel,Jesse and James: Thank-you for pointing out the facts on this bill! I am still trying to comprehend it all;it's overwelming to a lay person such as myself. I really don't want to believe that Sen.Romer wants to CAP the quantity a patient can purchase in one week(2oz.)Thats insane because everyone's tolerances are diffirent! Some Cancer patients I know need at least 2oz. a week if not more!!! This is the biggest BEEF I have and everyone else should have: Page 38,line 24:"29-2-103.3 SALES AND TAXES FOR MEDICAL MARIJUANA.(1)ON AND AFTER JULY,7,2010,IN ADDITION TO ANY SALES OR USE TAX IMPOSED PURSUANT TO SECTION 29-2-102 OR 29-2-103 EACH COUNTY AND EACH INCORPORATED TOWN OR CITY IN THIS STATE,IS AUTHORIZED TO LEVY A SALES TAX, OR ANY COMBINATION OF SUCH TAXES OF UP TO TWENTY PERCENT, STORAGE,USE,OR CONSUMPTION OF ANY USABLE FORM OF MEDICAL MARIJUANA." (2)(a)NO SALES TAX,USE TAX,OR COMBINATION OF SUCH TAXES MAY BE LEVIED PURSUANT TO SUBSECTION(1) OF THIS SECTION UNTIL A BALLOT PROPOSAL FOR THE LEVYING OF SUCH TAXES HAS BEEN REFERRED TO AND APPROVED BY THE REGISTERED ELECTORS OF THE COUNTY AND INCORPORATED TOWN OR CITY IN ACCORDANCE WITH THIS ARTICLE." Who do you think these taxes will be passed on to; THE PATIENTS!!! If they can tax up to 20% ; that HIGHWAY ROBBERY!!! Most cities sales taxes are in the 7%to8% ranges.IS HE CRAZY(ROMER)or is he GREEDY???!!! I believe that Medical Marijuana should be taxed;but between 7% to 10% at the most.This has to be passed by the Registered electors,so make sure everyone e-mails your representives and tell them this is to high of a tax percentage and VOTE to disapprove this TAX RATE Proposal!!!
This bill is disgusting. Reporting abuse, "bona-fide dr/patient relationship," monthly (!) reporting of marijuana plant maturity and harvest. What in the world is a government agency going to do with information overload like this aside from abusing sick people with a legal system that has all sorts of better things to do. Wow. This is overreaching, onerous nonsense. By the way - the Colorado unemployment rate is still some 7% - and _this_ is what the legislature is doing? Senator Romer - you're not helping.
It should be clear to anyone who reads this bill: Romer has spent the last few weeks cozying up to the MMJ activist crowd in the state because he believed that communication and comfort level would allow him to release this un-Constitutional piece of garbage without much outcry. Every citizen of CO has the Constitutional right to use the safer alternative of medical marijuana to relieve chronic pain. Romer's bill is a slap in the face to our community and I will fight it every step of the way. Romer has proven himself to be dishonest and only interested in his own career and limited, ignorant agenda. Don't let this clown take away our hard earned civil rights!
Your bill takes away the right for residents to grow MM for personal use w/o notifing their neighbors. This take away all medical privacy. In addition safety is a concern then why do you want people to notify all their neighbors where MM is growing -
Good for Sen. Romer to get this out on the table. I hope that the legislative committees in the Colorado House and Senate are very thorough in their analysis, evaluation, and implementation of this regulatory legislation. One has to wonder why it took the state so long after voter passage of the initiative to do a proper job of administratively implementing the law. Guess that they were too busy with other matters ...
This bill is a mess: Romer wants to involve government in the physician-patient relationship by re-defining the term; he wants caregivers to INFORM THE GOVERNMENT when a patient purchases more than 2 oz a week so the government may "investigate" the patient; he even wants to limit the number of patients a dispensary can have "at any one time' (whatever the hell that means!) to an arbitrary 1500: a number for which there is no justification provided. He wants a special review board for non-veteran patients under 21 (because the young never have chronic pain or any other debilitating disease): of course paying for any of this time and manpower is never fully explained. The single most pathetic and arbitrary addition to this pile of legislative slag is on page 29, lines 12-14: "..THE PHYSICIAN HAS CONSULTED WITH THE PATIENT WITH RESPECT TO THE PATIENT'S DEBILITATING MEDICAL CONDITION BEFORE THE PATIENT APPLIES FOR A REGISTRY IDENTIFICATION CARD." In other words, Romer wants to eliminate entirely the current system which has allowed so many needy patients access to safe, natural medicine. This system was created because most "family" (what nonsense!) physicians are raised, trained and funded by the pharmaceutical industry and have an innate bias against natural medicine; there are right now in CO only a handful of doctors who are adventurous enough to write recommendations for patients to use medical marijuana. Politicians have no business deciding how and when you relate to your doctor: that relationship is private and confidential. Romer does allow for half of the "review" board to be be licensed caregivers, but these are appointed by the Governor (as is the State Health Board, and well know how well that has gone) and they serve "at his pleasure". Well at least Romer didn't try to include clone-to-sale plant registration or to eliminate the affirmative defense clause like Bill Ritter did in his proposal. The most enjoyable thing about this bill to me is that if it passes, Chris Romer will have given Rob Corry a very long and profitable career suing the hell out of the state of Colorado for many years to come. The people of the state of Colorado knew exactly what we were doing when we voted Amendment 20 into the Constitution; we do not need politicians to explain, translate or re-define. Do not think you have the power to alter the way we choose to communicate with our doctors and physicians; do not be impudent enough to believe that you can mandate someone who would call themselves "caregiver" to inform government authorities about their interactions with their patients. So....yeah, I guess I don't like it much.
COURTNEY, I tried it and it didn't work;I need a new computer because mine is too old and slow;plus I think I screwed up my server connections or something!THANK-YOU though for trying to help me,but PATRICIA e-mailed me a copy of the Proposed bill and I have read some of it;but It's so damn long and complicated that you have to be a lawyer to really understand it!! Thanks again Courtney "RJM"
PATRICIA,IT WORKED!! I'll save it and read it in my spare time. Why did he have to make it so long and complicated? Oh well I'll have to read 50 times so I can understand it all;but THANK-YOU for taking time out of your weekend to help "LITTLE POOR ME"!!! LOL SEE-YA "RJM"
We really don't like this bill, Senator Romer. You will likely piss off a majority of your voting constituents if you continue to ignore their wishes. The smartest idea would be for you to soften it up quite a bit and slip in just a couple things that you consider keepers. Otherwise the pushback will be too strong for you to get anything at all passed and keep your position. Randy, try this link: http://rmhealingcenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/romer.draft.09.12.30.pdf
PATRICIA, I went strait to it and still got nothing. I think I messed-up my server connection or something,anyway I need a new computer;so would you please e-mail the new draft, I would greatly appreciate it! Thank you so much!,"RJM"
IN ANY HEARING HELD BY THE MEDICAL MARIJUANA LICENSING 17 AUTHORITY PURSUANT TO THIS ARTICLE, A PERSON MAY NOT REFUSE, 18 UPON REQUEST OF THE MEDICAL MARIJUANA LICENSING AUTHORITY, TO 19 TESTIFY OR PROVIDE OTHER INFORMATION ON THE GROUND OF 20 SELF-INCRIMINATION What kind of crap is this....i guess they will waterboard you to get the information they want.
it shows up without flash for me, but here's the link -- let me know if you're still having trouble, and I'll e-mail you a copy. www.cannabistherapyinstitute.com/bills/romer.draft.09.12.30.pdf
Why mess up a perfectly good Amendment? We have our Civil Rights now leave them alone!
PATRICIA, I CLICK ON READ ROMER'S BILL HERE AND GOT A BLANK SCREEN. DO YOU NEED A FLASH PLAYER TO SEE IT OR NOT ? I'D REALLY LIKE TO READ IT,PLEASE HELP!!! "RJM"