Clearing Out The Weeds Of Legalization Denver discusses ways to safely legalize marijuana
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ooking at a map of the United States, one could tell that the movement to legalize medical and recreational marijuana is not just a phase. Only two states — Idaho and Nebraska — have no form of legal cannabis, while 33 states and the District of Columbia have legalized at least the use of medical marijuana. At the National League of Cities State League Staff Workshop held in Denver, Colorado, representatives from the city discussed what it was like to forge the path on this issue, solving problems no one knew existed. Really the main issue that Colorado faced was that it was the first state to legalize recreational marijuana. That means, as opposed to medical marijuana, any adult over the age of 21 could purchase and use marijuana. So they didn’t know what was going to happen, and frankly, they didn’t believe it would happen. To paraphrase Commander James Henning of the Denver Police Department: at first we didn’t think it would pass, but it did, and then we didn’t think the federal government would let it happen, then they did. Before they knew it, marijuana was legal, and they had to “get over it and get to work.” One thing stressed by all who spoke, was the need to build relationships. Not just with the state, whose responsibility was to oversee the statewide requirements of enacting this law, but interdepartmentally in municipalities. There is zoning that needs to be sorted out with the public health people who need to be in constant contact with fire and police. All in all, the Citywide Coordinated Marijuana Team, as it is known in Denver, is comprised of the Marijuana Policy Team, Community Planning & Development, Excise & Licenses, Fire Department, Police Department, Department of Environmental Health (including the subgroups of Public Health and Environmental Quality), and the City Attorney’s Office. This list does not include partners that operated outside of municipal boundaries. But this is something that Denver actively wanted. Municipalities are essentially allowed to opt-in to local licensing schema, adding distance requirements, public hearing processes, phase-ins, and all sorts of regulations. One big reason why Denver opted in was because Marijuana is big business. Denver is home to 13% of the state’s population, but 36% of the state’s marijuana licenses according to Ashley Kilroy, the Executive Director of Denver’s Department of Excise and Licensing. All in all, there are 1116 licenses and 476 locations related to marijuana businesses in an area that is about the size of the Greater New Haven Metro Area. All of these businesses add value back to the city of Denver through license fees, a special sales tax, and increased tourism. Throughout 2018, the City of Denver 16 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | SEPTEMBER 2019
alone took in $548 million, a 6% decrease from the 2017 high. But it’s also an added burden to make sure that these businesses do not interrupt the quality of life in the Mile-High City. The zoning permit process is rigorous, as Tina Axelrad, the Zoning Administrator showed. They had to come up with corresponding land use categories for a completely new industry practically overnight: cultivation facilities are plant husbandry in Zoning Land Use speak, Marijuana-Infused Products (MIP) manufacturing is General Manufacturing or Heavy Manufacturing. Surprisingly, growing a plant that has become known by the moniker “weed,” isn’t as easy as that to grow, so heavy equipment does come into play. And that increases the need for public safety, especially when it comes to home facilities. In some cases, mold was a problem and in others it was exploding refrigerators. Inspections must be done often to ensure compliance, and there must be penalties for not being up to code. In some cases, actual cement blocks were placed in front of businesses for those who were found to be routinely uncompliant. Outdoor gardens were quickly realized to be a problem, as in one anecdote, a Denver resident with a green thumb often wondered why her plants would vanish from her backyard garden. Others protested the smell of a large cannabis farm. More concerning are the effects on actual crime. Commander Henning said that business burglaries against licensed facilities will be a large issue, and the black market will only get bigger and more violent. Though it should go without being said, “a drug endangered child doesn’t care if marijuana is legal or not.” Back in 2012, Denver was worried about the image and culture changing drastically because of these laws, but it seems as if the rest of the country is emulating them instead of the other way around. There has been spin from both sides on this issue; one side seeing sunshine and rainbows, the other crime and more crime. In Denver, marijuana became legal, so they began to treat it as a legal substance. What the city realized was that the argument was over, and the new challenge was how to come together to keep Denver a growing city with a vibrant culture, a city that is safe for all residents. Those attending our annual convention at Foxwoods Resort will be able to attend CCM’s symposium on marijuana legislation on December 4, the second day. “Marijuana Legislation in Connecticut: Learning from Other States” will feature speakers from Denver and Massachusetts, where recreational marijuana was recently legalized. This will be a panel that you shouldn’t miss!
