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Startup in Colorado?
- Thread starter DankSide
- Start date
D
draco
yeah
come to colorado and legally grow your own.
a damn fine reason right there...
come to colorado and legally grow your own.
a damn fine reason right there...
Gomez_Addams
New member
I preface this with: "no, I'm NOT someone who has been through it" but I have, let's say, brushed up against a lot of dispensary operators, providers, etc, etc, here. My wife and I have paid closer attention to the ever-evolving laws - to the extent possible. (they're far from static and lots of important issues are moving targets as non-legislative regulators make decisions carrying the force of law)
Have you already read everything available here:
http://www.cdphe.state.co.us/hs/medicalmarijuana/
?
It's a metric butt-load of legal gobbledygook, but the way things are going ,I'd say you'd better know most of that material, or have an attorney as part of your business plan (you are going to write a business plan aren't you?) who already knows all the ins and outs of Colorado cannabis law. Most of the answers you pose above are provided somewhere in documents linked off of that page. It is best to go to the horse's mouth first, in case someone somewhere else gets a little detail wrong that winds up putting your ass in a sling.
The powers that be at various levels - cities attorneys-general, state attorney-general, cities DAs, state DAs, regulators, all have people with differing opinions (including no opinion) on the legitimacy of the law, so it's bloody chaos behind the scenes making the system work (er, to the extent that it DOES work).
Part of what has made Colorado a seeming mecca for MMJ business is that we have much more regulation, in much greater depth and detail, than other early-adopter states. (I expect that's why states who followed mostly tended to follow our model for implementation and regulation rather than Cali's)
All those bureaucratic layers and i's which must be dotted, t's which must be crossed, schools which must be avoided and so forth... make things NOT so easy here. Everything is in flux. Recent adjustments to the rules (such as the rule that all dispensaries must grow/make 75% of the product they sell) by the regulatory agency have resulted in lower profit margins (and supposedly, less shenanigans behinds the scenes between dispensaries to remain in compliance on numbers). As a result, some early dispensaries are starting to go out of business, and many more will in the future I think.
It's starting to look like the new regs will favor big business and not the little guy. There's no sign yet of any regulatory crackdown on the personal grower / provider / consumer. The law is reasonably generous there. But we hear rumors of companies like Philip Morris buying land and failed greenhouse business...
People ARE getting inspected by all sorts of interesting 3 and 4 letter agencies here, including feds. Most of the time, if you are in perfect compliance, they leave you alone. Don't imagine for a minute that the feds who are along on some of those inspections don't take careful note of your address though, just in case, for future reference.
If you look like you should be in compliance - everything is clean and safe and organized and professional looking, but they find some niggling detail - you may get off with a warning and re-inspect.
If you get a license and run an amateur-hour grow, with hoses and extension cables snaking across the floor, no sign of a GFI anywhere, leaves everywhere, inadequate (or completely missing) regulatory docs (like all your patient info) - you know the sort I mean - then you should expect to be busted for somebody for something.
And realize too that even Obama's edict that the DEA not interfere with operations in full compliance with state regulations is already on shaky ground with a few questionable busts here and there... and he won't be in office forever. If the next administration has a hard-on for drugs, things are going to get real ugly in Colorado real fast.
Even if that happens, it will be interesting because the state legislators have not failed to notice their shiny new (really large) tax revenues flowing into state coffers from all facets of our MMJ law. And when the feds threaten that, we might finally have a state/fed showdown. Wouldn't that be nice? Not sure I want to be living in the test case state tho...
I know there are some licensed Colorado growers and dispensary owners who are regular ICmag readers, one of them introduced me to this place. But I don't know their handles here, I already looked. I'm sure you'll get something more in-depth from someone more savvy than me soon.
Have you already read everything available here:
http://www.cdphe.state.co.us/hs/medicalmarijuana/
?
It's a metric butt-load of legal gobbledygook, but the way things are going ,I'd say you'd better know most of that material, or have an attorney as part of your business plan (you are going to write a business plan aren't you?) who already knows all the ins and outs of Colorado cannabis law. Most of the answers you pose above are provided somewhere in documents linked off of that page. It is best to go to the horse's mouth first, in case someone somewhere else gets a little detail wrong that winds up putting your ass in a sling.
The powers that be at various levels - cities attorneys-general, state attorney-general, cities DAs, state DAs, regulators, all have people with differing opinions (including no opinion) on the legitimacy of the law, so it's bloody chaos behind the scenes making the system work (er, to the extent that it DOES work).
Part of what has made Colorado a seeming mecca for MMJ business is that we have much more regulation, in much greater depth and detail, than other early-adopter states. (I expect that's why states who followed mostly tended to follow our model for implementation and regulation rather than Cali's)
All those bureaucratic layers and i's which must be dotted, t's which must be crossed, schools which must be avoided and so forth... make things NOT so easy here. Everything is in flux. Recent adjustments to the rules (such as the rule that all dispensaries must grow/make 75% of the product they sell) by the regulatory agency have resulted in lower profit margins (and supposedly, less shenanigans behinds the scenes between dispensaries to remain in compliance on numbers). As a result, some early dispensaries are starting to go out of business, and many more will in the future I think.
It's starting to look like the new regs will favor big business and not the little guy. There's no sign yet of any regulatory crackdown on the personal grower / provider / consumer. The law is reasonably generous there. But we hear rumors of companies like Philip Morris buying land and failed greenhouse business...
People ARE getting inspected by all sorts of interesting 3 and 4 letter agencies here, including feds. Most of the time, if you are in perfect compliance, they leave you alone. Don't imagine for a minute that the feds who are along on some of those inspections don't take careful note of your address though, just in case, for future reference.
If you look like you should be in compliance - everything is clean and safe and organized and professional looking, but they find some niggling detail - you may get off with a warning and re-inspect.
If you get a license and run an amateur-hour grow, with hoses and extension cables snaking across the floor, no sign of a GFI anywhere, leaves everywhere, inadequate (or completely missing) regulatory docs (like all your patient info) - you know the sort I mean - then you should expect to be busted for somebody for something.
And realize too that even Obama's edict that the DEA not interfere with operations in full compliance with state regulations is already on shaky ground with a few questionable busts here and there... and he won't be in office forever. If the next administration has a hard-on for drugs, things are going to get real ugly in Colorado real fast.
Even if that happens, it will be interesting because the state legislators have not failed to notice their shiny new (really large) tax revenues flowing into state coffers from all facets of our MMJ law. And when the feds threaten that, we might finally have a state/fed showdown. Wouldn't that be nice? Not sure I want to be living in the test case state tho...
I know there are some licensed Colorado growers and dispensary owners who are regular ICmag readers, one of them introduced me to this place. But I don't know their handles here, I already looked. I'm sure you'll get something more in-depth from someone more savvy than me soon.
Gomez_Addams
New member
You won't be competing on quality here - there is plenty of mediocre bud, plenty of awesome bud, and only a small amount of nasty shit. Still some gang-bangers desperately bringing in brick weed astonishingly, but they're dumping it cheap.
What you're competing against here is sheer numbers. But I assure you the population will get knocked down over the next few years. There's a darwinian process going on, as well as ever-shifting (fuckers) regulation.
What you're competing against here is sheer numbers. But I assure you the population will get knocked down over the next few years. There's a darwinian process going on, as well as ever-shifting (fuckers) regulation.
Gomez_Addams
New member
whups somehow I am seeing old old posts first. I thought this was new.
Gotta go fix that
Gotta go fix that
As I understand things now, dispensaries must grow 70% of their own product and can buy 30% of what they sell from contracted growers. I'm not sure about the regs for contract growers. Most likely other dispensaries and/or registered caregivers.
MMCs DO NOT buy off growers unless they are part of the DOR scheme. To be part of the DOR scheme, you must play by their rules (fully inspected and compliant etc with cameras, permits, architectural drawings, ada compliant etc.) Plus you have to give power of attorney to the State and give up 4th amendment rights etc.
Do yourself a favor, stay underground.
Do yourself a favor, stay underground.
D
draco
at one point it was seriously considered that all grow locations be plainly marked - like on a sign... in front of your grow...
they come up with shit like this...
just can't feature why anyone would like to start up here. the business would live from one vote to the next. but people love the thrill of gambling so maybe that would be it...
I came to denver for two reasons...1st to escape the raciest south!, its ashame im forced to bandon my lovely city of atlanta, ga inorder to grow in peace.its the rose surrounded by the arm pit of america .(the true south not some romantic south!. 2nd to make mo money shipping it back home. clients are a wantin,.., f$ck_em!
Gomez_Addams
New member
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Hillbilly419
Member
Colorado is the best just be a caregiver get you some patients and its great
OgKennyKush
Member
Which Colorado county is the most marijuana friendly?Im talking for home grow ops,not mmc's or buisnesses.
D
draco
I wouldn't choose Larimer County . We have a sheriff called Justin Smith who doesn't believe in the Constitution - and shows contempt for democracy...
My understanding is that he's still prosecuting under the old laws - spending the taxpayers money enforcing an old law the people voted down.
My understanding is that he's still prosecuting under the old laws - spending the taxpayers money enforcing an old law the people voted down.
D
draco
i have read that the first 'pot club' has opened it's doors in Olympia (or was it Tumwater?)
who will be first in colorado i wonder?
who will be first in colorado i wonder?
West boulder county in the hills absolutely rocks for mj!
SMOKE-ONE
Member
Thanks bro for the info!!!
OgKennyKush
Member
What about Pueblo county?Its a little cheaper,and in the South,which is where I want to be.Is it pot friendly?And does anybody know of the best counties that are in southern Colorado?
D
draco
a little bird just told me that Moffat is herb biz friendly.
...just something i heard...
...just something i heard...
I think it's too early to really say what Cnty is or is not 'friendly'.
And of course that too can change with the election of a new Sheriff or a new Prosecutor. Truth be known, we don't even know what the final 'structure' will be for 'retail' distribution,,,, or it will Ever exist.
If the Federal 'controlled substance' status is changed,,,we'd be good.
And of course that too can change with the election of a new Sheriff or a new Prosecutor. Truth be known, we don't even know what the final 'structure' will be for 'retail' distribution,,,, or it will Ever exist.
If the Federal 'controlled substance' status is changed,,,we'd be good.
