Business of Government

Colorado Moves Toward Lower Medical Pot Plant Limit

By: Sarah Breitenbach - March 10, 2017 12:00 am

P. Solomon Banda/AP2016

Investigators load plants from a suspected illegal marijuana growing operation in Denver.

Legislators in the Colorado House signed off on a bill Friday that would lower the number of marijuana plants that patients in the state’s medical marijuana program can grow at home.

The proposal, which needs approval from the state Senate, would decrease the number of allowable home-grown pot plants from 99 to 16 in a residential property, according to The Associated Press.

Marijuana has been sold in Colorado for three years, but lawmakers and regulators there are still working to control the drug, which can now be consumed recreationally in eight states and can be used as medicine in another 21.

In Colorado, medical marijuana users can grow as much pot as their doctor recommends. Legalization critics say provisions like this and other gaps in the recreational and medicinal systems are fueling black market drug sales.

Colorado

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Sarah Breitenbach

Sarah Breitenbach, who writes about the business of government for Stateline, has spent much of her professional life writing about Maryland politics and policy. She began her career covering education and state government for the Frederick News-Post and has worked for the Gazette of Politics and Business and The Associated Press.