I really appreciate all of the information and opinions here. I contacted the state today and they wouldn't give me any opinions just told me to read the law and interpret it myself. I was also told that to remove my caregiver that I must submit a notarized request to do so.

It is important that I pursue this opportunity legally. This is an emerging industry and we need ethical people committed to its legal development if we are to keep it. I am going to pursue opening my own dispensary in the coming months, risking much of my life's savings to do so but I believe in this and want to be a part of it.

I live in Aurora and it is clear that they will not tolerate dispensaries operating in their city. Clearly Denver does. I am going to start looking for cheap office or warehouse space but now need to figure out where. My husband is a VP of sales for a large national corporation but he too fears losing his job soon. He understands marketing and sales at high level and he tells me that this is a business that should put its money into marketing not location. In fact he feels that a prominent location may be counter productive and draw unwanted attention for city, county and state law enforcement. While a discreet location would be more likely to be tolerated. Do you guys agree?

He also believes that any dispensary operator must be actively engaged in the community with a portion income going to anti-addiction/drug abuse programs, active engagement with any regulatory meetings held by government agencies etc. The more upfront and involved you are the more likely you are to be able to defend yourself if your business is targeted by LE Thoughts?

I think you are completely correct. The more involvement with community the better. I am researching doing a disp. in Denver, also. I would love to talk with you about that, if you are interested.

Ok- I have a plethora of questions, if someone could please help me out. I tried clicking on the links posted by another poster but they didnt work.

First- I know of 4 people who would allow me to be their caregiver, so therefore I can grow up to 6 plants each. What I dont get is how I distribute it to them. Do I charge them on my own? From what I've been reading, it looks as if a caregiver just grows for their patients and sells it to a dispensary? I also read that a caregiver can not form a business, so if I do charge patients for it, are there any taxes? Would I report the income on my annual taxes?
Next- if they assign me as their caregiver, can they still purchase at a dispensary?
If I do decide to become their caregiver, where am I allowed to grow? I own my own home but dont really have enough room for that many plants. Obviously renting an apartment would be frowned upon by the landlord. Is renting a garage or storage unit a possibility? If so, or even if not, what are the zoning codes for such an operation assuming there would be lights, water, chemicals, etc...?

Any help would be much appreciated.
Thanks

Hope that helps
pp69

__________________
I'm not a Gynecologists, but I'll take a look!

Co. Med patient and Caregiver!

I don't know if you have been watching the local Colorado news, but law enforcement believes that dispensaries are illegal under Colorado law.
I would bet we will see some dispensaries getting raided soon to test the laws. I don't think that the way some dispensaries operate is going to be found legal.

I was looking at a couple of their web-sites and I think they are just cheating those who sign over their plants:

One in particular will give you an eight ounce every two weeks - so a quarter ounce a month leaving them with the rest of YOUR PLANTS to sell to other patients.

Even if they only net 2 ounces per plant that is still 6 ounces every 3 months or two ounces per month.

Two ounces minus your quarter ounce leaves them one and three quarters ounces of YOUR PLANTS to sell each month.

At $300 per ounce which is low - they make $525 every month for each patient they get to sign over THEIR PLANTS, and you get a quarter ounce per month.
10 patients = $5250 per month, 100 patients = $52,500 per month - this is not what voters were thinking when they approved Medical marijuana.

Just my 2 cents worth.

DENVER - Metro Cannabis has a small office with a phone that's constantly ringing.





"A lot of people call," the medical marijuana dispensary's president, Olga Skuratovich, said. "Most people who call are people in need of medication."

Skuratovich estimates that her workers provide medical marijuana to more than 1,500 people, many of whom complain of medical conditions.

"A lot of people we see do feel better afterwards and they come in and tell us about it," she said.

She added that, before providing anyone with medical marijuana, the workers at her company verify that person is part of the state registry of people who qualify to receive cannabis, which the DEA identifies as a level 1 controlled substance.

"We don't let anybody in, unless they have the proper paperwork, which is a state registry card or a physician's certification," Skuratovich said.

Skuratovich says she operates a legitimate medical marijuana dispensary.

But Jeff Sweetin, special agent in charge of the Denver field division with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), says there's no such thing as a legal dispensary.

"They're clearly in violation of federal law. The issue at hand is whether or not they are in violation of state law. And I believe they are," he said.

Sweetin says that even though medical marijuana is legal in Colorado, it is not legal under federal law. Even within the state, Sweetin has his doubts about the legitimacy of dispensaries.

His organization is not notified when new dispensaries open in the state. Some estimate there are more than 100 dispensaries in Colorado.

"The [medical marijuana] registry does not comment, sanction, recommend or regulate dispensaries," he said.

Dispensary owners like Skuratovich say they operate within state law.

"We're completely legitimate. We have all our licenses and paperwork," she said.

With requests for medical marijuana registration cards pouring into the state health department every day, Sweetin says it's impossible for dispensaries to grow enough marijuana to supply every customer. Skuratovich agrees, saying her company outsources to find their cannabis.

"We work with local growers and we make sure they do have their proper paperwork that they are caregivers to other people so it's all legal and legitimate," she said.

Sweetin warns that drug cartels, such as La Familia, have begun to grow marijuana in Colorado. Eleven members or associates of that cartel were arrested this week, as part of what U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder identifies as the largest single strike at a Mexican drug cartel operating in the U.S. Sweetin says it's no surprise that alleged members of that cartel chose to set up shop in Grand Junction.

"My fear is that [by legalizing medical marijuana], we're attracting drug cartel activity in the state... why smuggle when you could grow," Sweetin said.

Sweetin thinks that drug cartels would choose to grow marijuana in areas like Grand Junction because of the wide open spaces and the relatively low presence of law enforcement officers.

"This could be fueling the crime that you could see here," he said.

Another suspicion on the part of the DEA is due to the sheer number of Coloradans who have gotten medical marijuana registration cards. Sweetin pointed to information that two physicians authorized about a third of the cards. According to that same information, one doctor gave out nearly 200 authorizations in a day and five doctors gave out more than half of the state's registration cards.

People like Olga Skuratovich insist they're providing a very useful service.

"We're here to help," she said. "We're not drug dealers."

Since state and federal laws don't match up, medical marijuana dispensaries and the suppliers of that marijuana remain a point of debate among drug enforcement officials and cannabis suppliers.

(Copyright KUSA*TV, All Rights Reserved)

That helps a ton. Thanks so much

What rock have you been hiding under?
Holy crap...
http://www.theweek.com/article/index...arijuana_truce

State and federal positions DO match up now.

The article I posted was from the news yesterday - well after the article you quote.
The DEA also made a number of arrests of medical marijuana patients and caregivers in Ft. Collins this week after the article you quoted.

You should not be such an ass if you don't know what you are talking about.

Ok, I have a legit question here. I currently live in South Carolina and will be moving to Colorado immediately following me getting out of the Marine Corps. I have been in the infantry for 6 years now and have a lot of problems from it. Here is a short list that I believe is most pertinent.

- Chronic PTSD
- Chronic Insomnia
- Anxiety attacks
- Nerve Damage to right ulnar nerve
- Chronic shoulder and back pain. (my sholder has been diagnosed as debilitating)
- Chronic Headaches from TBI (tramatic brain injury)
- Bi-Polar Disorder w/o Psychosis

The list goes on and on. So here are my 2 questions... Obviously, will I qualify for my card and will I be able to use my military medical records for my interview? The records have been kept up to date and span from August 2003 until now. Any help here would be great. Thanks everyone.