By the time marijuana can be purchased for recreational use in the state, it may be capped off at a much lower amount than the stated limits in Amendment 64.
Under Amendment 64, adults 21 and over are allowed to possess up to an ounce of marijuana, but on Monday, Gov. John Hickenlooper's marijuana task force, which is working to identify the policy and legal issues that need to be resolved now that recreational marijuana for adults is now legal with the passage of A64, voted to recommend to the governor that a single purchase at a pot shop should be limited to less than an ounce, The Associated Press reports.
Although the task force declined to recommend the purchasing cap size, attorney and pot activist Christian Sederberg said that he didn't think most marijuana users would mind the limit because most daily pot smokers use only about a half a gram a day.
It appears possible that a single transaction at a marijuana dispensary could be capped at as low as an eighth of an ounce, the amount of marijuana that the task force agreed to recommend for out-of-state visitor purchases last week effectively limiting purchases to both residents and tourists equally.
The task force also agreed not to limit the potency of marijuana, however it will recommend that the amount of THC, the drugs' psychoactive ingredient, be clearly labeled in a particular pot product, according to 7News.
"The idea is to warn people about the dangers of ingesting marijuana," said Jack Finlaw, Gov. Hickenlooper's chief legal council and co-chair of the task force.
Just last week the task force agreed to recommend pot tourism to the governor and not restrict pot restrict recreational marijuana purchases just to Colorado residents. However the task force also said that signs should be erected in airports and at state borders telling tourists that they cannot leave the state with any marijuana.
The task force is comprised of 24 members representing various points of view from pot growers, state government officials, employers and the law enforcement community on how marijuana should be regulated in the state. The group of 24 has until the end of February to make their final recommendations to the governor on how to handle the implementation of the new law. For a full list of all 24 members of the task force, click here.
Amendment 64 was approved 55-45 in November and its passage was due in large part to the efforts of Marijuana Policy Project communications director Mason Tvert who responded to Hickenlooper's creation of the task force and signing of A64 into law saying in December, "We look forward to working with the governor's office and many other stakeholders on the implementation of Amendment 64. We are certain that this will be a successful endeavor and Colorado will become a model for other states to follow."
Via statement, Hickenlooper's office outlined the goals and mission of the task force:
Issues that will be addressed include: the need to amend current state and local laws regarding the possession, sale, distribution or transfer of marijuana and marijuana products to conform them to Amendment 64’s decriminalization provisions; the need for new regulations for such things as security requirements for marijuana establishments and for labeling requirements; education regarding long-term health effects of marijuana use and harmful effects of marijuana use by those under the age of 18; and the impact of Amendment 64 on employers and employees and the Colorado economy. The Task Force will also work to reconcile Colorado and federal laws such that the new laws and regulations do not subject Colorado state and local governments and state and local government employees to prosecution by the federal government.
All meetings of the Task Force and any working groups will be open to the public. The Task Force will also endeavor to solicit public comment as part of its consideration of the policy, legal and procedural issues that need to be resolved to implement Amendment 64.
“Task Force members are charged with finding practical and pragmatic solutions to the challenges of implementing Amendment 64 while at all times respecting the diverse perspectives that each member will bring to the work of the task force,” the Executive Order says. “The Task Force shall respect the will of the voters of Colorado and shall not engage in a debate of the merits of marijuana legalization or Amendment 64.”
“As we move forward now with implementation of Amendment 64, we will try to maintain as much flexibility as possible to accommodate the federal government’s position on the amendment,” Hickenlooper said in a statement.
Amendment 64 allows for adults, 21 and older, to possess up to an ounce of marijuana as well as grow up to six plants -- with only three of the plants mature and flowering -- all for personal, recreational use in their home.
Related
Before You Go
