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Malcolm Fleming, City Manager <br />May 25, 2010 <br />Page 3 of 6 <br />LIGHT, HARRINGTON & DAWES, P.C. <br />cultivation or sale of medical marijuana." C.R.S. § 12- 43.3- 103(2)(a). However, this broad <br />authority is limited in other portions of the Bill as explained below. <br />A. Local LicensingfRegulations Pertaining to Commercial Operations <br />The Bill provides for a licensing procedure for medical marijuana sales which follows closely <br />statutes for liquor licensing procedures. In order for a person to engage in the commercial sale of <br />medical marijuana as specified in the Bill, it is necessary for the person to obtain both a state and <br />local license. C.R.S. § 12- 43.3 - 310(2). Local licenses are issued by a Local Licensing Authority. <br />A person must first obtain "approval of an application for local licensure" by the Local Licensing <br />Authority, which will then "notify the State Licensing Authority of such approval, who shall <br />investigate and either approve or disapprove the application for state licensure." C.R.S. § 12- <br />43.3- 303(5). <br />Pursuant to C.R.S. § 12- 43.3- 301(1), a Local Licensing Authority may "issue only the following <br />types of licenses upon payment of the fee and compliance with all local licensing requirements <br />to be determined by the local licensing authority" as well as compliance with other provisions in <br />the Bill: <br />• Medical Marijuana Center License - This category of license covers businesses that are <br />commonly referred to as "medical marijuana dispensaries" and permits a licensee to <br />operate a business that sells medical marijuana or medical marijuana infused products <br />(defined below) to registered patients or primary caregivers, but a medical marijuana <br />center licensee may not be a primary caregiver. C.R.S. § 12- 43.3 - 104(8). A Medical <br />Marijuana Center Licensee may only sell "medical marijuana grown in its medical <br />marijuana optional premises," as defined below, but is also authorized to "purchase not <br />more than thirty percent of its total on -hand inventory of medical marijuana from another <br />licensed medical marijuana center in Colorado." C.R.S. § 12 -43.3- 402(3) & (4). This <br />provision, coupled with the certification requirement noted above, appear to essentially <br />provide that existing facilities must cultivate 70% of their product on -site. If the facility <br />does not certify the same by September 1, 2010, or as a matter of fact does not comply <br />with this requirement after such date, the Bill provide such conduct is unlawful, with <br />potential consequences being license revocation and prosecution as a class 2 <br />misdemeanor. <br />• Optional Premises Cultivation License- A Local Licensing Authority may issue this <br />license only to Medical Marijuana Center Licensees and Medical Marijuana - Infused <br />8 A Local Licensing Authority may be designated by municipal ordinance or municipal charter. C.R.S. § 12 -43.3- <br />104(5). The Bill does not dictate the composition of the Authority; therefore, the City has leeway to determine <br />whether the Authority would be a single person or an appointed body of several members. <br />9 "Each application for a local license...filed with a local licensing authority shall be accompanied by an application <br />fee in an amount determined by the local licensing authority." C.R.S. § 12- 43.3 -503. <br />10 "A medical marijuana center may sell not more than thirty percent of its total on -hand inventory to another <br />Colorado licensed medical marijuana licensee." C.R.S. § 12- 43.3 - 402(4). <br />13 <br />