MRCC

Grow, Gift, Repair

Update on social use in Colorado

A collective effort by several marijuana business groups could help bring social pot use to Colorado dispensaries, hotels, music venues and dozens of other types of businesses — if the concept makes it through the state legislature.

Marijuana industry lobbyists, tourism companies, lounge owners and dispensary representatives are planning to submit a marijuana hospitality bill to lawmakers that will propose creating two new business licenses that would allow social marijuana use in a manner similar to alcohol use.

One license would allow limited sales at dispensary tasting rooms and approved social-use businesses such as music halls and pot lounges. The other license would allow social consumption at other existing businesses, such as hotels and restaurants, but no marijuana sales in those businesses.

The proposed legislation might also attempt to strip the state Department of Revenue’s authority to ban marijuana use at businesses with liquor licenses.