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Change in Denver Marijuana Laws

On Behalf of | Nov 1, 2010 | Drug Charges |

Last week, the Denver City Council made a change to medical marijuana laws that everyone should know about. Laws regarding marijuana use in Colorado are in a state of flux, so in order to avoid facing drug charges residents must stay up-to-date on current events. The newest change to the medical marijuana laws limits how many plants that someone can grow in a residential location.

According to The Denver Post, the city council was prompted to vote on a proposed change because a local resident complained about his neighbor, who was growing a significant amount of plants in his residence. The complaining resident reportedly was bothered by the smell of the plants next door and was motivated to complain to the city once his child was born.

The neighbor wasn’t breaking the law by merely growing an estimated 60 plus marijuana plants; that amount, until recently, was within state laws. As of last Monday, Oct. 25, the city council decided that the new limit of plants that someone can grow for an individual patient in his or her home is six, with a limit of 12 per residence.

This is a drastic change, and some are disappointed and frustrated by the decision. Opponents to the rule argue that the 12 plant limit only makes sense for homes with medical marijuana users, not for the places of caregivers who need to grow more in order to support their patients. The strict residential limit leaves consumers with less affordable options because more will have to depend on commercial dispensaries that charge more for their product.

A first violation of the 12 plant limit will cost an offender $150; a second offense will cost $500; a third offense will cost $999. The Denver Post reports that the new law will be reevaluated in two years, after the community has had an opportunity to weigh its pros and cons and measure its effectiveness.

Source

The Denver Post: “Denver council limits number of medical-marijuana plants in a residence.” Christopher N. Osher, 26 Oct. 2010

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