The final rules incorporate the significant and major protections for residential neighborhoods which INC supported.. It should be noted that the final rules eliminated the requirement of a ventilation plan for vaping. The rules also include a provision for de-licensing which would allow for a liquor licensed establishment to designate a social consumption area in a liquor licensed establishment provided that alcohol is not being served.
Applications were accepted for attendance at the first Denver Marijuana Citizens Academy. Hosted by Inter-Neighborhood Cooperation (INC), Denver’s Office of Marijuana Policy and the Department of Excise and Licenses, the free, two-part Academy provided 50 participants with information relating to the various marijuana rules and regulations as well as Colorado amendments and Denver ordinances. Part 1 May 8, …Continue reading →
Denver’s Department of Excise and Licenses will have to decide which group if any it will listen to as it finalizes its rules later this month. The city hopes to start reviewing and approving applications for social cannabis consumption areas and events starting in July.
Prior to a public hearing on the rules Tuesday, Molly Duplechian with the Denver Office of Marijuana Policy said the city received about 70 comments on the rules. More than half were supportive of what was proposed, Duplechian said.
The Denver group tasked with shaping how Initiative 300 should roll out might want to leave one issue to city regulators and elected officials: Should business patrons be able to consume cannabis and alcohol under the same roof?
The Social Consumption Advisory Committee wrestled with that question Wednesday during its third meeting on suggested rules for social cannabis consumption permit seekers. The choice on whether people can dual consume in businesses might ultimately be made by elected officials.
The bill creates a marijuana consumption club license. The license is subject to the same licensing requirements as other retail marijuana licenses. The license may be issued to a person who operates an establishment where retail or medical marijuana may be sold and consumed. The club’s sales are limited to the same limits as a retail marijuana store or a medical marijuana center. The club may not serve food prepared on site or alcohol.
It prohibits marijuana consumption at any business that holds a liquor license starting January 1, 2017.
“This isn’t a surprise,” said Mason Tvert, an organizer for Initiative 300. “It’s kind of astonishing that the Department of Revenue is working on behalf of the liquor industry to protect its turf.”
The idea to ban marijuana at bars and restaurants that hold a liquor license was raised by members of the liquor industry this summer during a series of workshops hosted by DOR to review existing regulations, according a press release.
As described in the attached report, our audit revealed that OMP is widely considered an important addition to the City that has established strong working relationships between City agencies. However, we found that OMP could increase its efforts for more transparent and collaborative management regarding marijuana tax revenue and marijuana policy.
Through further collaboration with the Budget and Management Office to identify and practice a more transparent method of using marijuana tax revenue, OMP will address community concerns regarding how marijuana tax revenue is used. Further, by strengthening its outreach efforts to the marijuana industry and the community regarding the development and enforcement of marijuana policy, OMP will be consistent with its mission and best practices regarding citizen engagement.
