Council reopening MMJ apps

“Amsterdam Pot Town, USA?”

The Crested Butte Town Council is pushing forward with opening up the application process for two remaining medical marijuana (MMJ) dispensary permits. A year ago, the town passed an ordinance limiting MMJ dispensary permits in town to five. Only three dispensaries are operating.

After an hour-long work session and an hour of discussion during the Crested Butte Town Council meeting Monday night, debate centered on how much to change the current ordinance. Should grow operations be allowed? Should infusion operations be permitted? Should an unlimited amount of permits be issued? In the end, the council felt it should open up the regulations to at least allow more applicants to fill the five-permit limit.
If more than two businesses apply for the permits, a lottery will be held to determine which is awarded the permits. Representatives of the MMJ business Western Holistics have been pushing for the loosening of the regulations so they can apply for a permit. That would allow them to move beyond the caregiver aspect of the operation and open a dispensary in town.
“It seems like a waste of time and energy to do anything now before the state releases its rules in July,” said councilperson John Wirsing. “It seems a waste of resources. Let’s wait and see what rules the state implements.”
“If you do nothing, it will be addressed by the state,” said town attorney John Belkin.
“The only thing you have to do by July is renew the existing dispensaries,” pointed out acting town manager Bob Gillie.
The council also spent a lot of time debating whether to allow grow operations and infusion operations in town. “There’s not enough room in town for grow operations,” said Tripp Blalock of Western Holistics. “There are water and fire hazards.”
“And the fact is it will smell,” added his partner Richard Haley. “It is stinky, stinky marijuana. It stinks. You can’t vent it so it won’t smell. Grow operations are not a good fit for town.”
“What is the benefit to the town if you do allow more dispensaries?” asked Gillie. “It’s just a chit to get these guys [Western Holistics] in the state application process. That’s what this is, honestly.”
“It’s not just for these guys, it’s to get closer to free enterprise,” said councilperson Dan Escalante.
“I like the free market but don’t want to see this town turn into a pot town,” said Crested Butte Wellness Center partner Mike Ingle during the work session. “If you open it up completely, it could turn into Amsterdam Pot Town, USA.”
No matter who it is for, the council instructed the staff to revisit the ordinance and bring them revisions to allow for more MMJ permit applications.