Dinosaur approves sales of medical, recreational marijuana

DINOSAUR | The tide appears to have turned for the Town of Dinosaur in regard to marijuana. After voting down a bid to allow the sale of recreational and medical marijuana within town limits in 2013 by a 56 percent margin, voters this year approved three measures related to the sale of medical and recreational marijuana within town limits.
Measure 3A, which legalizes the sale of recreational and medical marijuana, was approved 102 votes in favor to 50 votes against.
Measure 3B, an operational tax of $5 on every marijuana-related transaction, is expected to create $40,000 in revenue for the town. It passed 89-63.
The third measure, 3C, passed with 84 in favor and 65 against. It creates an excise tax not to exceed 5 percent on the sale of marijuana between manufacturers and distributors. Measure 3C is expected to create $50,000 in revenue.
Dinosaur, population 339, is part of Moffat County, but its closest neighbor is Rangely, Colo., in Rio Blanco County. Other western Colorado small towns which have approved the sale of medical and recreational marijuana since Amendment 64 passed in 2012 include Hayden (pop. 1,801; Routt County), Silt (2,980; Garfield County), and DeBeque (pop. 496, Mesa County). DeBeque generated $340,000 in tax revenues and fees from marijuana in 2015.