October 31, 2011 10:45 PM UTC

Opinions For Me, Not For Thee, Says John Suthers

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• by: Colorado Pols

AP reports:

Republican Attorney General John Suthers says he opposes the [upcoming 2012 ballot] proposal to make pot legal for recreational use.

Suthers has criticized the head of the state’s medical marijuana enforcement agency for appearing to take a stand on local marijuana initiatives up for a vote Tuesday. Suthers called the letter from Dan Hartman “unethical.”

Westword’s Michael Roberts supplies some background:

Suthers feels a letter by (outgoing?) Medical Marijuana Enforcement Division head Dan Hartman published in places mulling MMJ retail-sales bans was unethical, even though Suthers himself has spoken out on the subject. Which is why proponents want Suthers to sign an ethics pledge.

As we’ve reported, multiple medical marijuana industry sources say Hartman’s last day at MMED was Friday — a claim that prompted the Department of Revenue, which oversees the division, to tease changes likely to be announced this week.

Among the possible reasons cited for his departure was a Hartman letter published in newspapers like Steamboat Today that took a pro-MMJ stance in towns that will vote on prohibiting dispensaries. An excerpt reads: “If your community bans commercial medical marijuana businesses… you will only remove the regulated medical marijuana distribution model from your community.”

According to the Associated Press, Suthers reviewed the letter at the request of Mesa County Sheriff Stan Hilkey, whose jurisdiction includes Palisade, one of the burgs that will decide on an MMJ ban. Suthers determined that the letter wasn’t illegal, but it was unethical…

Now, Colorado Attorney General John Suthers claims his repeated attacks on both marijuana legalization and the state’s medical marijuana laws are somehow different from this letter from the head of the state’s (apparently outgoing) medical marijuana enforcement division head Dan Hartman, because Suthers “has given his opinion only when asked by reporters or in response to pending legislation.” This makes us wonder if Suthers simply forgot about the debate this August versus Rep. Jared Polis on marijuana legalization at the Vail Symposium?

Suthers admitted that if the choice is Colorado’s current medical marijuana industry or full legalization for those over 21, the likely 2012 ballot question may be the lesser of two evils.

“I personally would prefer legalization of marijuana to the medical marijuana regimen we currently have in Colorado,” Suthers said. “I believe the retail dispensary model in Colorado, whereby marijuana is grown in large grow operations and sold in retail dispensaries to people who allegedly have a debilitating medical condition has become a complete joke. It’s nothing more than state-sanctioned fraud on the part of thousands of patients and a few dozen doctors.”

Can somebody explain how that is more “ethical,” or different at all, than this letter from Hartman arguing against medical marijuana bans? Suthers isn’t talking about “pending legislation,” he is specifically talking about the upcoming 2012 Colorado ballot initiative. For good measure, he disparages current medical marijuana law, too. Either way we really don’t see, especially with these well-publicized comments about the 2012 initiative in his recent debate with Polis in mind, where Suthers has credibility to accuse Hartman of anything “unethical.”

In fact, it seems to us the only real problem here…is an opinion differing with Suthers.