Source: Law Week Colorado
In this video segment, Boulder lawyer Leonard Frieling today discusses a recent opinion from the Obama administration about respecting state laws regarding medical marijuana. He also implores dispensary owners to be serious about their businesses so that government agents won’t have a reason to target them. A version of the entire course is offered for sale through CLE in Colorado Inc., the program organizer. Click here to order.

By Ali McNally
LAW WEEK COLORADO
DENVER — Court rulings and promised legislation have complicated Colorado’s medical marijuana law, prompting the Colorado Bar Association today to hold a discussion on the dichotomy of state and federal regulations.
Dubbed “Medical Marijuana: Legal Chaos,” Colorado defense lawyers Leonard Frieling and Ann Toney gave advice about zoning, definitions and technicalities that often get caregivers and patients alike in legal trouble. The CLE was a prequel to a longer session planned for Feb. 17 that will look more in-depth at medical marijuana issues.
“It’s really a chaotic situation because no one knows where we’re going with anything concerning medical marijuana,” said CBA program attorney Priscilla Fulmer. “It became such a hot topic lately that we weren’t sure if the public could wait until February to discuss it. We figured we could use this to touch the high points and learn what people were most concerned about.”
One of the hot issues was how to keep medical marijuana dispensaries and caregivers in line with the federal government.
“The more [dispensaries look like business, the more the feds, I think, will less likely go after them,” Frieling said.
Highlighting a decision this week from Denver District Chief Judge Larry Naves, who threw out the state board of health’s emergency changes on the definition of “caregiver,” Toney clarified the difference between medical marijuana caregivers and dispensaries. While caregivers may cultivate and sell to dispensaries, dispensaries “may only act as a storefront” to sell to patients, she said.
The event sold out at 120 people in the room and 143 people through a webinar. Of those in attendance were lawyers, business owners, growers and politicians.