Stakeholders in Denver, Colorado have begun working on rule suggestions for the voter-approved social use measure, which will allow cannabis to be consumed by adults 21 and older in places that do not hold liquor licenses, according to an Associated Press report. The workgroup, made up of city regulators, business owners, and measure opponents started drafting the rules on Wednesday.
Emmett Reistroffer, a cannabis industry consultant who ran the social-use campaign, indicated that the regulations will likely require neighborhood approval before any business is given a license but said “there are plenty of places in Denver where you can find neighbors who want this kind of establishment.”
There is no deadline for the city to finalize the rules, and the measure does not allow businesses with social-use licenses to sell cannabis – meaning customers would bring their own products. Smoked products would still need to be used outdoors.
Rachel O’Bryan, the opposition organizer, said she was concerned that because the businesses have no control over what is consumed they won’t be able to safeguard against intoxicated driving.
“If you are neither serving nor counting the potency of the product, nor counting how much they consume, how are you protecting the public when they leave your property?” she asked.
A bill to allow social-use statewide is currently in the state Legislature.