Alcohol Abuse Advice

Medical Marijuana in Colorado, Will the Federal Government step in?

In 2002 medical Marijuana started to gain traction as a legitimate cure to many aliments.  Numerous studies started popping up showing that medical marijuana can be used as a treatment for things such as, sleep insomnia, depression, alcohol abuse, sickle-cell, and certain cancer types to name just a few.

In the mid 1990’s eight states residents voted to approve the use of Medical Marijuana.  These states included, Arizona, California, Colorado, Maine, Michigan, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington.  These states approved the use of Medical Marijuana despite federal regulations banning the use of Marijuana.  Since these states approved the use of Medical Marijuana 8 other states have followed.  In all 16 states have now approved the use of Medical Marijuana.

7 States currently approve the use of dispensaries to distribute Marijuana to residents who have doctor approved Medical Marijuana.

These dispensaries initially started popping up in California and can now be found on almost every block of most cities in California.  In 2008 the New York Times reported 2,100 Marijuana dispensaries in California generated close to billion dollars and generated close to 0 million dollars in sales tax revenue.

Following the explosion of dispensaries in California, Colorado is now seeing the same growth of Marijuana dispensaries.  Colorado has initiated some regulation to help control the industry and required dispensaries owners to apply for a state permeate.  According to the state of Colorado there is currently over 800 state registered Medical Marijuana Dispensaries in Colorado.

With an ever increasing number of states approving the use of Medical Marijuana and dispensaries when will the federal government get involved and what sort of regulation will they impose on new and existing dispensaries?  The question of what government regulations will come to the medical marijuana industry and when is an ever growing question that will be answered sooner or later.