DENVER (AP) — Colorado’s governor on Monday vetoed a bill to allow marijuana retailers to set up “tasting rooms,” dashing hopes that the state would be the first to adopt a system letting consumers use marijuana in public spaces.
Gov. John Hickenlooper has objected to similar bills in the past, arguing it could prompt a federal crackdown. He stayed quiet on the issue during the legislative session this year but wasn’t satisfied with the scaled-back proposal. In a
letter explaining the veto, Hickelooper wrote that the bill could have resulted in more impaired drivers on Colorado’s roads and other public health risks.
“We may agree with the proponents’ goals to protect the public and children; however, we strongly disagree that this bill is the correct path to achieve those goals,” he wrote.
This year’s proposal dramatically scaled back some advocates’ ambitions for stand-alone businesses reminiscent of a neighborhood bar or an upscale club where marijuana products would replace alcohol. The bill did not allow smoking of marijuana in the establishments and also let local municipalities decide whether to allow the so-called “tasting rooms.”
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