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Springs MMJ dispensary forced to close
Posted: 02.26.2012 at 8:30 PM
Updated: 02.27.2012 at 9:30 AM
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Indispensary, located on Bijou Street across from Acacia Park, closed its doors for good Sunday after being shut down for being too close to a school.  / FOX21: Kurt Story
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COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO. -- A medical marijuana dispensary in Colorado Springs had its final day of business Sunday after being forced to close its doors.

"It's a very sad thing for us," Judith Negley, one of the owners of Indispensary, said. "There's so many emotions I can't even begin to enumerate them."

In January, Negley was one of 23 medical marijuana dispensary owners to receive a letter from the office of the U.S. Attorney of Colorado. The letters were sent to dispensaries located within 1,000 feet of a school and stated they must shut down within 45 days or face federal enforcement action.

Negley said Indispensary, located on Bijou Street across from Acacia Park, is 910 feet from Palmer High School. She has argued that she is complying with city regulations of being more than 400 feet away and said the federal regulation is unfair.

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"I think it is ridiculous that there is some causal relationship drawn between our proximity to a school and any problems that may occurring at that school or perceived to be happening," Negley said. "We have the highest dropout rates in history, and I don't think that's because there is a medical marijuana dispensary 910 feet from them."

Mark Slaugh with the Colorado Springs Medical Cannabis Council said the forced closure of Indispensary is the federal government's way of exemplifying control.

"The federal government still wants to show that they have the ultimate power," he said, "through this illusionary 'We're going to protect your children by making sure that dispensaries are far enough away.' It really is arbitrary and makes no sense."

Negley said she is disappointed by the federal government overpowering state and local laws. She said she has complied with local regulations and does not believe that closing her dispensary will change what is happening in the schools.

"I don't think that once we close there is going to be any downturn in risky behavior among high school students," she said.

Negley said the forced closing of Indispensary marks the beginning of a wave of shut downs. She also believes the federal government will not stop its power trip on just medical marijuana.

"Whether you consider this a victory because you don't believe in cannabis or whatever your personal belief may hold," Negley said, "you better beware that your government is becoming entirely too dominant in telling you how to live your life."

A statewide moratorium on new medical marijuana dispensaries opening is set to expire July 1 this year, according to Negley. She said Indispensary owners plan to apply for another business license then and hope to reopen in a new location later this year. Meanwhile, patients are being referred to the two other Indispensary locations in the city.

DISPENSARIES NEAR SCHOOLS
Should medical marijuana dispensaries located within 1,000 feet of a school be forced to close?

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