Larimer County Cannabis – Is It Legal & Where To Buy 2024
- Colorado Cannabis
- Larimer Cannabis Overview
Is Cannabis Cultivation Legal in Larimer County?
Yes, cannabis cultivation is legal in Larimer County. According to information from the city of Fort Collins, this is pursuant to Amendment 64. By state law, medical cannabis was legalized in 2000 and recreational cannabis for people aged 21 and older was legalized in 2012. Amendment 64 allows local governments to ban marijuana businesses if they choose to but Larimer County allows cannabis cultivation.
For personal use only, Larimer County’s 2017 resolution allows the home cultivation of medical and recreational marijuana at the primary residence of persons aged 21 and older. One caregiver may likewise do so on behalf of a patient in the caregiver’s home, the patient’s home, or another site. Only one location is allowed per person. If a person is unable to grow cannabis at home, a waiver process must be sought to seek the approval of the Board of County Commissioners for an alternative cultivation site. This will involve public notice and a public hearing.
Larimer County requires that all cannabis cultivation be done hidden from public sight. No marijuana odors must also be detected beyond the cultivation site.
Amendment 64 allows each person aged 21 and older to grow up to six marijuana plants at home, with up to three of these plants being mature and flowering. These must be strictly for personal use only and cannot be sold.
To legally cultivate medical or recreational marijuana commercially, a business must first apply for a license with Colorado’s Marijuana Enforcement Division (MED). Application requirements include a minimum of two years of state residency and going through background and criminal checks. The prescribed business application form must be submitted with the necessary disclosures and the application fee must be paid. Walk-in applications are not accepted. Instead, applications must be mailed with all attachments and a check for the application fee to the following address:
Marijuana Enforcement Division
1697 Cole Blvd., Suite 200, Lakewood, CO 80401
ATTN: Business Licensing
The applicant must also submit proof that medical or recreational marijuana businesses are allowed in the locality where the company will operate. Once the state license is granted, the business entity is required to apply separately for a local marijuana business license before operating.
In Larimer County, a 2020 resolution indicates that a Retail Marijuana Cultivation Facility License must be applied for with the Board of County Commissioners. The Board shall then hold a public hearing on the application. Only two Retail Marijuana Cultivation Facility Licenses are to be granted in unincorporated Larimer County.
If the license is granted, licensees are allowed to request a second facility for cultivation which must consist of only one building not exceeding 30,000 square feet.
The Retail Marijuana Cultivation Facility License authorizes the company to grow, prepare, pack, and sell cannabis to other licensed marijuana cultivation facilities, licensed marijuana manufacturers, and licensed marijuana retailers. It does not authorize the company to sell directly to consumers, though.
All marijuana businesses in Larimer County must abide by the following requirements:
The licensee must already have a state license for a recreational marijuana business.
The licensee must pay various fees for application, licensing, operation, and County Transportation Capital Expansion Fees before starting operations.
The licensee must have licensed premises that it either owns or leases for the entire licensed period.
The licensed marijuana facility must be no less than 1,000 feet from existing private or public schools, and child care centers or licensed child care homes.
The licensed marijuana facility must be no less than 500 feet from existing residences; churches and religious institutions; principal campuses of universities, colleges, and seminaries; playgrounds and public parks; public community centers; public buildings for use of the general public; recreational and amusement places; and drug and alcohol rehabilitation facilities.
The licensed marijuana facility must be within a Larimer County Zoning District that allows its presence through the Larimer County Land Use Code.
The licensed marijuana cultivation facility must be fully indoors.
The licensee must not permit marijuana to be consumed or smoked within the premises.
The licensed marijuana facility is responsible for implementing the required high-security measures to prevent theft and unauthorized entry.
The licensed marijuana facility must serve the public seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mountain Time. It must, however, close on Christmas Day.
According to the Code of Colorado Regulations Section 3-215, licensed cultivators are allowed to have shared facilities for both medical and recreational marijuana subject to the following rules:
This must be allowed by the Local Jurisdiction and Local Licensing Authority.
There should be a single owner for the shared medical cannabis cultivation and recreational cannabis cultivation facility.
Medical cannabis and its concentrates must be separated from recreational cannabis and its concentrates within the shared facility.
The single owner must ensure that business transactions for medical cannabis are clearly distinguishable from business transactions for recreational cannabis by the Local Jurisdiction and Local Licensing Authority through distinct packaging, labeling, inventory tracking, and record keeping.
Is Cannabis Manufacturing Legal in Larimer County?
Yes, cannabis manufacturing is legal in Larimer County in accordance with the state’s Amendment 64. Specific to Larimer County, a Retail Marijuana Products Manufacturing Facility License must be acquired from the Board of County Commissioners. Only two Retail Marijuana Manufacturing Facility Licenses are to be granted in unincorporated Larimer County.
The licensee must abide by all the rules covering marijuana businesses. The Retail Marijuana Products Manufacturing Facility License authorizes the company to process, package, label, and sell marijuana to other licensed marijuana manufacturing facilities and licensed marijuana retailers. The company is, however, not authorized to sell to consumers directly.
The Code of Colorado Regulations authorizes manufacturing licensees to prepare, package, and label medical and recreational marijuana, marijuana concentrates, and marijuana products such as pre-rolled cannabis and infused pre-rolled cannabis. In 2017, the Larimer County resolution lifted the ban on the manufacturing and selling of recreational edible marijuana.
Statewide, medical and recreational cannabis companies are required to offer all of their products in opaque, child-safe packaging that can be resealed. Packages must prevent minors, teenagers, and adults from unintentionally ingesting marijuana. Consumers and patients must be advised to use the official store packaging for safe storage.
Is Cannabis Retail Legal in Larimer County?
Yes, cannabis retail is legal in Larimer County. A Retail Marijuana Store License must be sought from the Board of County Commissioners. Only two Retail Marijuana Store Licenses are to be granted in unincorporated Larimer County. The licensee must comply with all regulations covering cannabis companies.
The Retail Marijuana Store License authorizes the company to purchase marijuana and marijuana products from licensed cultivation facilities and licensed manufacturing facilities and sell these directly to consumers aged 21 and above and holders of Colorado medical marijuana cards.
According to Amendment 64, licensed retailers are allowed to sell cannabis and all cannabis products including concentrates, salts, resins, tinctures, ointments, and edibles, among others, up to a total of one ounce at a time per person. That is because it is illegal for anyone aged 21 and above to buy and carry more than one ounce of cannabis in Colorado. Licensed retailers can, however, sell more than one ounce of cannabis at a time to a patient with a medical marijuana ID card for whom a health provider has provided a MED Uniform Certification Form.
Is Cannabis Delivery Legal in Larimer County?
Yes, cannabis delivery is legal in Larimer County which implements HB 19-1234. This paved the way for the delivery of medical marijuana to commence on January 2, 2020, and the delivery of recreational marijuana to commence on January 2, 2021.
Marijuana deliveries are allowed only to patients who hold Colorado medical marijuana ID cards and residential consumers. Deliveries are also limited to once a day per person.
How to Get Medical Marijuana Card in Larimer County
Residents of Colorado can apply for a medical marijuana ID card through inclusion in the state’s Medical Marijuana Registry provided they have any of the following medical conditions:
Severe pain
Severe nausea
Cancer
HIV or AIDS
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Autism Spectrum Disorder
Glaucoma
Cachexia
Seizures
Persistent muscle spasms
Any medical condition for which a registered health care practitioner prescribes opioid medication
The patient must first be examined by a healthcare provider who will certify the qualifying medical condition and submit this online. Minors must be examined and certified by two healthcare providers.
The patient must then complete the application online, providing a Colorado driver’s license or valid ID and social security number. If the patient requires a caregiver, the application must include a caregiver. The patient must then pay an application fee of $29.50. This is waived for those who can submit proof of income that is 185% or less of the Federal Poverty Level. The application will be processed in one to three business days and if approved, the patient can access the medical marijuana ID card online. This can be printed or shown on a mobile device and is valid only in the state.
Strictly for patients who do not have online access, application by mail is allowed. They must print out the adult application form or application form for minors and fill these out completely. They must then send these with copies of the other requirements and a check for the fee payable to the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment to:
Application Processing
CDPHE HSV-8630,
4300 Cherry Creek Dr. S. Denver, CO
80246-1530
Processing of mailed applications will take about six to eight weeks. The physical ID card will be mailed to the patient and caregiver if any. There will be no access to an online account.
For queries, patients or caregivers may contact the following:
Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment
4300 Cherry Creek Dr. S. Denver, CO
80246-1530
Phone: 303-692-2184
Email: medical.marijuana@state.co.us
How Has Cannabis Legalization Impacted the Economy of Larimer County?
The legalization of cannabis has had a positive impact on Larimer County and the entire state of Colorado. According to a July 2021 report on the Impacts of Marijuana Legalization in Colorado by the Colorado Department of Public Safety, the combined number of licensed medical and recreational cannabis businesses in Colorado as of 2020 was 3,207. Of these, 78 were in Larimer. For recreational cannabis alone, there were 1,636 licensed businesses statewide, of which 33 were in Larimer.
The report highlighted that total revenue from combined recreational marijuana fees, licenses, sales taxes, and excise taxes increased by 473% from $67.6 million in 2014 to $387.5 in 2020. Within this period, a total of $487 million from cannabis excise taxes alone was contributed to the construction of public schools and other public education needs.
The Effects of Cannabis Legalization on Crime Rates in Larimer County
The Impacts of Marijuana Legalization in Colorado report of the Department of Public Safety showed that there were 13,225 marijuana-related arrests in 2012 when recreational cannabis was legalized for people aged 21 and older. This decreased to 4,290 arrests in 2019.
In Larimer County, there were 927 marijuana-related arrests in 2012. This also decreased to 476 arrests in 2019.
