CNN Money: “in 2010 Colorado tightened the screws. New laws imposed tough and often expensive standards on how business could run. Suddenly owning a pot dispensary. . . became no more profitable than owning a liquor store.” The story says:
“The new rules include minimum distance requirements between MMCs and sensitive community areas like schools and churches; a minimum two-year residency requirement for MMC owners; restrictions on felons working at or owning MMCs; and detailed control measures for every seed grown and every ounce of bud sold throughout the state. . . . Dispensary owners in Denver, which has the highest concentration of marijuana operations, laugh at the perception that they’re raking in dough.”
The above rules are similar to the tough rules promulgated by Arizona Department of Health Services. The article also says, “Perhaps worst of all for business owners is a provision that allows local communities to adopt even stricter standards than the state,” Arizona cities are doing the same.
The Marijuana Lawyer Blog says:
“Despite it being a multi-billion industry, abuses by state regulators and local politicians can cripple or kill a dispensary. . . . the IRS can create tax and accounting nightmares for legitimate businesses operating under state medical marijuana laws. Our Los Angeles medical marijuana attorneys believe there is something more sinister at work than the commonplace ineptness of politicians. We believe the greed factor will continue to ensure dispensaries and collectives are hounded by local, state and federal officials”
