Polis OKs laws on marijuana delivery, social use, investment

Laws signed by Colorado’s governor could bring big changes to the state’s marijuana industry, including the creation of businesses where people can consume cannabis and companies that deliver marijuana products.

The changes don’t take effect immediately. Voters in a city or county must first approve of allowing both new varieties of marijuana businesses.

State regulators cannot begin issuing “hospitality” licenses to marijuana retailers or other businesses seeking to allow use on their property until 2020. Delivery businesses cannot receive a state permit before 2020 for medical marijuana and 2021 for other marijuana products.

The laws were among several marijuana-related measures that Gov. Jared Polis signed Wednesday.

Polis also signed a measure allowing publicly traded companies to own marijuana businesses and limiting background-check requirements on investors.