Gov. Jared Polis (D) of Colorado on Wednesday signed into law two new cannabis bills that will change the face of the industry: one establishes cannabis delivery regulations for the state, the other legalizes commercial cannabis tasting rooms and bring-your-own-cannabis establishments, The Denver Post reports.
Gov. Polis was praised by cannabis advocates for signing the bills; his predecessor, Gov. John Hickenlooper (D), vetoed similar legislation for cannabis tasting rooms — and two other cannabis bills — last year.
“Lawmakers’ approval and the governor’s enthusiasm for signing them into law indicate the state is ready to move forward with fulfilling Amendment 64’s promise to regulate marijuana like alcohol.” — Jordan Wellington of VS Strategies, a Denver cannabis lobbying firm, via The Denver Post
Options for home delivery and the social-use lounges could start appearing throughout the state in January 2020. Both of the new laws, however, will only apply to jurisdictions who opt-in for the changes, and some localities — like the conservative-leaning Colorado Springs — lobbied hard for the ability to opt-out of the new cannabis regulations.
“It’s not just a matter of convenience, but also access for patients, and parents who can’t bring their kids to a shop,” Wellington, who helped craft the legislation, told Westword last month. “I think for cannabis consumers, it’s a step toward equal treatment under the law.”
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