Following feedback from medical-marijuana users and direction from council to gather more information, Longmont has opened a survey asking residents about their marijuana use.
The survey relates to a proposed ordinance that would limit marijuana home grows to six plants per residence. Medical-marijuana proponents, patients and caregivers have told the council repeatedly for the last three weeks that this would limit patients’ abilities to treat chronic illnesses at a low cost.
The proposed ordinance was originally scheduled for a first reading on Tuesday, but council tabled it until they could get more feedback.
Sierra Riddle, who lives in Loveland but is a registered medical-marijuana caregiver consultant for patients in Longmont, said she moved to Colorado from Utah in order to provide medical marijuana to her son, who was diagnosed with cancer.
“A lot of the patients I consult with live in Longmont,” Riddle told the council Tuesday. “They’re afraid they’re going to have to leave the place where they grew up and raised their children … an ordinance like this would make criminals out of a lot of us. Many of us are just moms. I’m just a mom.”
The online survey, available through Survey Monkey at Surveymonkey.com/r/X8VSZG3, is anonymous and comprises five questions.
The questions include, “What best describes how you currently use marijuana?” and “If you currently grow and use marijuana for a medical reason, how many plants are necessary for your treatment?”
City Manager Harold Dominguez reminded the council that they’d asked the staff to hold a public event to gather feedback about the proposed marijuana ordinance as well.
He asked if the council preferred to wait to schedule that until after the survey responses came in and council generally agreed that would be OK.
Councilwoman Polly Christensen said she wanted the event to be a panel discussion followed by an open forum for questions and comments.
“It would be wonderful to have a selection of people … someone from the police, someone with a chronic condition who is a user of medical marijuana; state Rep. (Jonathan) Singer offered to talk. Just a broad selection to get a perspective and so this town can get a perspective too.”
News Moderator: Katelyn Baker 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Longmont Debuts Online Marijuana Survey, Considers Open Forum
Author: Karen Antonacci
Contact: 303-776-2244
Photo Credit: Matthew Jonas
Website: Times-Call