Colorado Springs City Council prepares for cannabis club vote

The future of cannabis clubs in Colorado Springs will be decided Tuesday by the City Council.

Concern about the marijuana smoking clubs has persisted since they began opening three years ago. Critics say the clubs attract illegal activity. Proponents say they offer people a private smoking atmosphere.

During a five-hour work session Monday, the council reviewed several proposed ordinances that would ban new clubs and allow existing clubs to remain, or tightly regulate all clubs.

Council President Merv Bennett said the issue is very complicated.

“If (clubs are) banned, we need to talk about how we deal with clubs that are already in place,” he said. “If (they’re) not banned, how do we deal with licensing and zoning?”

Bennett said the council decided to save the bulk of its discussion on the matter until just before Tuesday’s vote.

Jason Warf, executive director of the Southern Colorado Cannabis Council, believes the council will vote to prohibit cannabis clubs.

“I hope I’m wrong but that’s what I’ve been hearing,” he said. “But the thing is there’s no legal precedent for them to close the clubs. You can’t smoke in public, so the clubs are the perfect places for members, patients and visitors.”

The council’s vote will come after the first reading of the ordinances. The vote becomes official and final after a second reading and vote.