DENVER — Colorado is moving toward limiting growing marijuana at home under a bill that sets a max of 12 plants per residential property.
A House committee voted 11-2 on March 6 to curb the nation’s most generous allowances for growing pot at home.
Colorado currently allows medical pot patients to grow up to 99 plants, far beyond other marijuana states, and it also allows recreational users to group their allotted six plants into massive co-ops, entire greenhouses of pot that aren’t tracked or taxed.
Some jurisdictions including Denver already limit homes to 12 marijuana plants.
But sponsors say lower limits are needed statewide to avoid attracting black-market pot growers. Of the 28 states that allow medical marijuana, none but Colorado allows patients to have more than 16 plants growing in their homes.
“Colorado home-grow laws position Colorado as an attractive market for criminal operations,” said Rep. Cole Wist, R-Centennial.
Others argued that the lax plant rules prompt neighbor complaints about odors and possible fire danger from strained power supplies.
“We’re not here to deprive anyone of medicine … our concern is the effect that it has on neighborhoods,” said Fort Collins Police Detective Jim Lenderts.
