Originally published in Metro Post-Telegraph
Cannabis may be legal, but for marijuana business owners, the battle is still being fought as opposition threatens the sale of marijuana in Wheat Ridge.
While Amendment 64 approved the legal use and sale of marijuana by adults over the age of 21, the City of Wheat Ridge put a moratorium in place on submitting, accepting, processing, and approving all applications and requests for a city permit, license, land use approval or other approval for any marijuana establishment during a city council meeting on Oct. 27.
“Some anti-marijuana groups heard a rumor that construction for a new marijuana-infused product manufacturing facility was beginning in Wheat Ridge, and intent on preventing the facility from coming into existence, they called this emergency city council meeting,” said Jason Saunders, owner of Chronic Therapy, a recreational marijuana dispensary in Wheat Ridge.
Smart Colorado, an organization “founded to protect the health, safety and well-being of Colorado youth”, and Colorado Christian University is among some of the main opposition of recreational marijuana in Wheat Ridge. Many of the complaints towards marijuana in Wheat Ridge lie in a lack of education and accessibility to youth, as well as the smell that “radiates” from dispensaries.
In response to complaints, Saunders, along with other dispensary owners has adapted his business practices to cater to some of the issues addressed at these meetings.
“Chronic Therapy actively listens to the opposition's complaints presented at the Wheat Ridge City Council meetings,” Saunders said. “For example, Chronic Therapy has installed charcoal filters as part of an expanded smell suppression system aimed at eliminating any smells emanating from the stores.”
Chronic Therapy is one of two recreational dispensaries open in Wheat Ridge; with three medicinal dispensaries currently open for business within city limits as well.
Despite the issues with City Council, Saunders still says that his business is growing at a steady rate. The majority of public turnout at meetings belongs to the opposition, and he doesn’t believe that any growth in sales is due to publicity with the city council meetings.