Denver City Council passes retail marijuana rules

The Denver City Council has approved rules and regulations for the retail marijuana industry and plans to meet with police and judges about how to enforce laws barring public consumption of the drug.

Councilman Charlie Brown says the regulations that passed Monday night are “a work in progress” and “this is a huge unknown.”

The Denver Post reports regulations include a prohibition of new dispensary or retail shops within 1,000 feet of a school, child care center, drug and alcohol treatment center or another marijuana facility as the crow flies. They also require public hearings before licenses are granted to retail facilities, but the hearings will be less restrictive than those for liquor licenses.

Recreational marijuana businesses in Colorado are expected to open at the beginning of next year.