COLORADO SPRINGS — Recreational marijuana is legal in Colorado Springs for the first time ever- but with some limitations.
Voters passed Ballot Question 300 in November, allowing the nearly 90 existing medical marijuana shops in Colorado Springs to apply for a license to sell recreational cannabis. The new ordinances prohibit recreational marijuana dispensaries within 1,000 feet of a daycare or school.
The road to legal recreational marijuana in the city has been marked with many obstacles. Several Colorado Springs City Council members said the recreational marijuana question on November's ballot confused many voters, as it appeared next to another question that would amend the city charter to prohibit retail marijuana establishments within city limits.
During a Jan. 28 meeting, council members voted 7-2 to place a question on the upcoming April city ballot asking voters whether recreational marijuana should be legal in Colorado Springs. The move was met with a lawsuit from two residents. On Thursday, an El Paso County District Court judge ruled the marijuana question will "not appear on ballots to avoid disenfranchising and confusing" voters.
Renze Waddington, the owner of medical marijuana dispensary The Epic Remedy and plaintiff on the lawsuit, said he's already focused on getting his business ready for recreational sales.
"It means our customer base has moved from the 20,000 people in El Paso County with a medical card to anybody over the age of 21 who lives here or is just passing through visiting. So it really opens up the amount of people we can sell marijuana to," said Waddington.
Colorado Springs City Councilman Dave Donelson said he's concerned about the potential negative effects the drug may have on citizens in Colorado Springs, a city that's historically rejected recreational cannabis until this point.
"Colorado Springs has been unique among the bigger cities and in Colorado... I think that has been an attractive thing for families looking at where they want to move to in Colorado," said Donelson. "Kids will, will find a way to get someone to go in there and acquire some. And I think it may, it may increase homelessness in Colorado Springs too."
Existing medical marijuana businesses can continue applying for retail licenses and, once approved, can begin selling recreational marijuana on April 14.
___
The I-25 Gap: Thousands cited during first month of express lane enforcement
During just the first month of enforcement, the number of drivers cited for crossing the express lane double white line through the I-25 Gap between Monument and Castle Rock is in the thousands.
____
Watch KOAA News5 on your time, anytime with our free streaming app available for your Roku, FireTV, AppleTV and Android TV. Just search KOAA News5, download and start watching.
