Please lets have a serious conversation on this. Please do not fill this with disrespect and opinion based arguments. I am willing to discuss your counter points in a civil way. What is a citizens initiative and referendum? A citizens initiative is a legal process where citizens organize, secure the signatures of registered voters, then vote for a change of statute, bypassing the government and their decisions. For example, citizens of Sterling are taking advantage of City Charter 13-8 (initiative and referendum) to propose a change to Chapter 9 Article XI (medical marijuana business) in City Charter. Although the medical marijuana business is legal in the State of Colorado, the City of Sterling has an ordinance prohibiting medical marijuana business. If placed on the ballot, it becomes a referendum or a vote. If voted yes, the Sterling City Government will have no choice but to change the ordinance from prohibited to permitted. If placed on the ballot and voted no, the City of Sterling made the decision it is not in the best interest of the community to have this business. The people must decide. Lets take a look at some facts of medical marijuana and its business. Medical marijuana is recognized as a legitimate form of medicine and is legalized in 24 States. Amendment 20, medical marijuana was voted yes in Colorado in November of 2000. In Colorado, the medical marijuana industry is regulated by the Marijuana Enforcement Division. They do not tolerate non compliance. Medical marijuana patients must secure a recommendation from a Doctor of Medicine licensed in Colorado in order to purchase medical marijuana from a medical marijuana business. After the recommendation and approval from the State, patients are given a “red card” and placed on the states medical marijuana registry. This document will certify the individual attempting to purchase medical marijuana from a business is diagnosed with a debilitating medical condition. According to the Denver Post, back in 2010, Governor Bill Ritter turned to the highly profitable medical marijuana industry to help solve the states budget problems. The medical marijuana cash fund was tapped. According to the Huffington Post, in 2014, The State of Colorado is using the medical marijuana cash fund to finance ten million dollars worth of research to identify additional medical conditions medicinal marijuana helps. In only the month of May 2014, the medical marijuana business was able to put 927,330 into the States marijuana cash fund according to tax data provided by the Colorado Department of Revenue. Any legal revenue would be good revenue for the City of Sterling. In general, marijuana legalization, medical or recreational, does not cause a crime rate to increase, according to the Denver Police Dept. On 7/16/2014, the United States House of Representatives approved a measure allowing banks to work with marijuana businesses. The medical marijuana business in Colorado is highly regulated and legal. The medical marijuana business in Colorado is highly profitable. The medical marijuana business in Sterling, Colorado is banned. Shall we embrace a highly profitable, legal and regulated medical marijuana industry, or watch other communities prosper from it? No matter what your feelings are about marijuana, we should come together on being able to vote on it.
Posted on: Fri, 18 Jul 2014 03:54:51 +0000
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