Marijuana dispensaries in Colorado welcome state regulation

DENVER (AP) — Colorado lawmakers have an unlikely ally in their first attempt to curb the state’s booming medical marijuana industry: owners of some of the shops that sell pot.

Many dispensary owners say they’re on board with regulations if they give them uniform guidelines and avert a more severe crackdown like one approved Tuesday in Los Angeles, where city council voted to cap the number of dispensaries at 70.

The Colorado proposal — which a legislative committee approved 6-1 Wednesday — would make it more difficult for recreational pot users to become legal medical marijuana patients. It would bar doctors from working out of dispensaries, make it illegal for them to offer discounts to patients who agree to use a designated dispensary, and require follow-up doctor visits.

Most of the 150 people at the hearing opposed the bill, fearing it will cost them hundreds of dollars on top of the $90 annual fee they pay to register as a medical marijuana user.