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Colorado pot bill seeks caregiver database
Posted: Apr 16, 2011 10:48 AM by AP posted By James H Egbert
Updated: Apr 16, 2011 11:19 AM
DENVER (AP) - A marijuana law passed in Colorado last year puts patients under video surveillance and gives dispensaries a raft of new rules aimed at tracking pot as soon as it's planted.
Now state lawmakers are talking about shining a light on thousands of small-time caregivers who police say can be hard to distinguish from basement drug dealers.
A bill pending in the Legislature would create a database of an estimated 40,000 people designated as marijuana caregivers for medical marijuana patients. Caregivers are limited to five patients but otherwise have little oversight. Colorado requires caregivers
to grow pot outside public view, but caregivers don't have the kind of security and reporting requirements of commercial pot growers.
Caregivers fear the database could prompt police harassment and make them vulnerable to crime.
(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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