Shall the ordinances of the City of Colorado Springs be amended:

• To authorize only existing medical marijuana licensees to apply to become licensed as retail/recreational marijuana businesses, subject to all applicable taxes, including the existing 5% sales tax on retail/recreational marijuana to generate revenue for public safety programs, mental health services, and post-traumatic stress disorder treatment programs for veterans;
• To limit the number of retail/recreational marijuana licenses in Colorado Springs so that the number of licensed locations cannot exceed the number of existing medical marijuana licenses on November 5, 2024; and
• To codify violations and penalties for retail/recreational marijuana, which cannot be amended except by a vote of the people, in the Colorado Springs City Code including regulations that:
  1. prohibit any retail/recreational marijuana business within 1,000 feet of a public or private daycare, preschool or K-12 school,
  2. prohibit the sale or transfer of retail/recreational marijuana to any person under 21,
  3. prohibit the sale or transfer of retail/recreational marijuana acquired in another political subdivision to a person under 21, and
  4. prohibit possession of retail/recreational marijuana by any person at any public or private school, daycare, or preschool?

This initiated ordinance gives Colorado Springs voters the opportunity to vote YES to allow only existing medical marijuana licensees to apply to become licensed as retail/recreational marijuana businesses. If this measure wins voter approval, existing marijuana licensees will have the option to sell recreational marijuana for the first time ever in Colorado Springs.

No, the measure limits the number of recreational licenses to the number of existing medical licenses. This means the access to recreational marijuana will increase, but the total number of stores will not. The measure was intentionally drafted to safely regulate recreational marijuana and protect kids, while keeping valuable tax revenue within the city.