Denver mulls home hash-oil rules

Some kinds of homemade hash oil could be banned in Denver. A panel of city council members starts work Tuesday on an ordinance to make it a municipal violation to make hash oil at home using a solvent, such as butane.

The ordinance is prompted by a handful of home fires and explosions caused by dangerous methods of making hash, a form of concentrated marijuana.

The ordinance would require home hash-oil production to use only water-based or food-based methods.

Commercial marijuana production facilities would still be allowed to use solvents. Those sites undergo extensive fire-code inspections to make sure flammable gases don’t build up.

Penalties for the code violation could result in up to a year in jail and a $999 fine.