Lakewood, Colorado has become the latest city in Colorado to ban cannabis businesses. But voters will decide in November if retail marijuana shops should be allowed.
During a meeting Monday night, the Lakewood City Council voted to ban marijuana businesses such as cultivation facilities, infused-product manufacturers, marijuana-smoking clubs and research labs, as well as outlawing hash oil extractions. However, council members agreed to let Lakewood residents decide the future of retail dispensaries at the ballot box on November 4.
Ward 5 Councilwoman Karen Harrison proposed to add retail dispensaries to the ban and skip the public vote, but the motion was denied.
The meeting, which lasted more than five hours, had a large amount of public input, with most speakers supporting prohibition.
Colorado Christian University President and former U.S. Senator Bill Armstrong strongly advocated for the ban, claiming CCU would lose potential students and Lakewood’s reputation would be tarnished if the city allowed pot sales and more.
“It’s a fact and it’s been published: Marijuana and the use of marijuana has been implicated in serious misbehavior, delusions, hallucinations and in some cases, violent acts,” Armstrong said.
Read more over at the Denver Westword.
