City manager suggests to delay retail pot ordinance vote in Pueblo

It you want to buy recreational marijuana in the city of Pueblo, you’re probably going to have to wait a little bit longer.

Pueblo City Manager Sam Azad suggested to council Monday night to push the retail pot ordinance vote to May 11.

Council will have to vote next Monday on whether to move the vote.

But on Monday night, council listened to two organizations about the impact marijuana could have on the city.

The Pueblo City-County Health Department introduced its study of the public health effects of marijuana use.

The department said marijuana use can lead to low growth rate in infancy, the likelihood of being addicted to tobacco and alcohol, along with memory impairment and an increase risk of paranoia and depression.

Pueblo resident David Lemon said marijuana isn’t that bad to the health of people.

“It doesn’t show the damage it shows with alcohol. We don’t see the death numbers like we do tobacco. It’s a far safer intoxicant than anything else in the market right now,” he said.

Council also listened to the Pueblo Economic Development Corporation about the economic impact marijuana would have on the city.

PEDCO said it doesn’t support using money from the half-cent sales tax to attract marijuana businesses to the city.

It said there are already shops in the county, along with federal legal concerns and the uncertainty of long-term jobs.

Council President Steve Nawrocki said using public dollars to lure recreational marijuana businesses to Pueblo would be a waste of money.

“I think it would take away from the competitiveness of that industry by us putting in public money,” he said.

Under the proposed ordinance, eight shops would be allowed within the city limits.