Weed Between the Lines: Racketeering lawsuits target Colorado marijuana businesses

A Washington-based group opposed to legal marijuana has filed lawsuits against Colorado marijuana businesses using the 1970 Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO).  The lawsuit filed by Safe Streets Alliance, a Washington-based anti-crime group, says that while marijuana maybe legal under state law, federal drug law still considers any marijuana business as organized crime.

One of the pot stores targeted in the suit, Medical Marijuana of the Rockies, has already gone out of business, in part due to cost of the legal proceedings.

Leland Rucker also talks to State Representative Jonathan Singer from House District 11 (Longmont) who has been instrumental in introducing laws to help regulate the marijuana industry in Colorado since the passage of Amendment 64.

Leland Rucker writes the Weed Between The Lines Column for the Boulder Weekly.