Pueblo Anti-Pot group scores legal victory

A judge has ruled in favor of an anti-marijuana group in Pueblo, saying there is no evidence to show that Citizens for a Healthy Pueblo misused campaign donations.

The pro-pot group “Growing Pueblo’s Future” filed a complaint last month, saying that CFAHP had failed to properly report and track campaign donations.

The group is trying to ban the retail sale of marijuana in Pueblo County by putting the question to voters on the November ballot.

A provision in amendment 64 does allow local municipalities and counties to enact their own rules pertaining to the retail sale of marijuana, but the measure put forth by CFAHP is not on the ballot just yet.

There is still another legal hurdle to clear pertaining to the group’s collected signatures.

State law calls for most initiatives to collect signatures equal to 5% of the electorate in order to make it onto the official ballot. But because amendment 64 calls for Colorado to treat cannabis the same way it treats alcohol, the anti-pot crusaders may need to collect signatures representing 15% of the electorate.

A judge is expected to rule on that issue soon.