Survey: Fort Collins would suffer from medical marijuana centers ban

FORT COLLINS – A survey generated by a medical marijuana
advocacy group says the banning of medical marijuana centers would harm Fort
Collins’s economy.

The survey, scheduled for release in late September and
paid for by the Fort Collins Medical Cannabis Association, was conducted by
Fort Collins-based Jami Duty Consulting. It found that “all the signs that
help point to a healthy growing economy will be damaged by the closure of these
dispensaries.”

Fort Collins city council has placed a question about
banning centers on the Nov. 1 ballot.

The intent of the survey was to “set a benchmark for
cannabis businesses in Fort Collins,” Terri Gomez, FCMCA representative,
told the Business Report Daily. “We’re pleased with the results showing
that it is a vibrant spot in our economy. It demonstrates the financial
commitment each of the business owners have made to our community.”

Gomez, who is also the campaign director for Citizens for
Safer Neighborhoods, said that FMCMA wanted to quantify how much money was
invested and how much the community would forgo if medical marijuana centers
were shut down.

Among other things, the survey reported that if the
proposed ban is successful there will be 186 jobs lost as well as city sales
tax revenue ($440,289.65 was collected January 2010 thru June 2011) and rental
income to private property owners (25 properties would have to be vacated).

About half of the 23 centers operating in Fort Collins
participated in the survey, with all 10 also members of FCMCA.

The survey also summarized the participating center
owners’ commitment to the community in terms of average number of years they
had lived in Fort Collins – 18.4 years – as well as their total amount of
charitable giving last year ($93,553), and the total amount they have spent on
outside contractors and building improvements ($632,849) for their businesses.

Effective July 1, HB 1284 allowed Colorado cities and
counties to regulate or ban medical marijuana centers within their
jurisdictions. In Loveland, Greeley, Weld County and Windsor, commissioners,
citizens or the city council have voted to shut down storefront centers that
dispense medical marijuana.

However, medical marijuana caregivers – separate
businesses from centers – are still legal. Caregivers have been providing
marijuana for medical purposes for a small, select list of patients since 2000
when state voters passed Amendment 20.