Colorado’s Medical Marijuana Program Changing, and Consumers Respond

Last year, the Colorado Legislature passed House Bill 1317, an expansive law that created new restrictions and mandates for medical marijuana and commercial marijuana concentrate. As a result of those rules and regulations, Colorado is now losing medical marijuana patients and doctors, many of whom believe they’re no longer welcome in a state that was once a pioneer in the use of medical marijuana.

In this week’s cover story, “Med Alert!,” Thomas Mitchell outlines how the MMJ program has changed. “This has created all sorts of fear,” says Dr. Peter Pryor, a former emergency room physician who now has his own medical marijuana practice. “I’m at the point of doing what I think is best and writing what I think is best for my patient, whether it’s at risk of my license or not. The attitude feels like they’re trying to get rid of us. There’s definitely a different feeling in the air right now. That law has a lot of specific changes, all of which seem pretty threatening if you’re a medical marijuana doctor.”

That quote ends Mitchell’s story, but readers have continued the conversation on social media, including the Westword Facebook post of “Med Alert!” Says Michael: 

Still trying to “protect the children from the ills of marijuana” at the expense of the responsible and the chronically ill. I love when my rights and choices get taken away because we constantly have to protect kids — kids whose worthless parents can’t control or protect their own offspring. This isn’t about protecting children so much as it is controlling a population’s choices for control’s sake. Any limits on how much alcohol adults can buy at once? Didn’t fucking think so.

Adds Jeffrey: 

MED checks the daily limit for medical patients but does not do the same recreationally. Craziest shit outside of an eight gram concentrate limit so that medical patients prescribed by a doctor can’t give minors dabs. Look at the people who vote for this, absolutely ass-backwards.

Suggests Raji: 

Medical was a fake cover-up to ease the hypocrisy of criminalizing people for generations and to put themselves in the position to reap the most profit.

Notes Larry: 

That lil ol’ plant sure has hurt so many folks.. gotta regulate the shit out of it or god knows, society might collapse.

And Denise concludes: 

The entire globe needs to stop the ‘ War’on Drugs.’ This is another ridiculous overreach into a natural substance. If I want to do drugs — legal or not — no one will tell me that I can’t. Until they regulate alcohol consumption, they can shove these laws where the sun doesn’t shine.

What do you think about how HB 1317 has changed the state’s medical marijuana program? What do you think about Colorado’s recreational sales? Post a comment or share your thoughts at [email protected]