Four CU Denver faculty to work on state implementation of Amendment 64

Christian Thurstone

Jeremy Nemeth

Kari Franson

Laura Borgelt

Four University of Colorado Denver faculty members have been selected to assist in Gov. John Hickenlooper's Amendment 64 Implementation Task Force.

As a result of Colorado voters’ approval in November to legalize the personal use of marijuana, Hickenlooper signed Amendment 64 into law last month; he also signed an executive order forming a task force to recommend needed legislate actions.

Named to the task force was Christian Thurstone, M.D., associate professor in the CU School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, known for his expertise in the treatment of marijuana addiction. Thurstone was recognized in October by the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) for exemplary work in furthering the goals of the President’s National Control Strategy.

Task force members expect to form working groups composed of experts to aid in the group’s work. University of Colorado Denver l Anschutz Medical Campus colleagues named to join the working groups are: Jeremy Nemeth, chair and assistant professor of Planning and Design, College of Architecture and Planning, who was named by the governor to the Task Force for Amendment 64 Regulatory Framework Committee; and Kari Franson, PharmD, Ph.D., associate dean for Professional Education, and Laura Borgelt, PharmD, associate professor, both in the Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, who will participate in the Consumer Safety-Social Issues working group.

“Task Force members are charged with finding practical and pragmatic solutions to the challenges of implementing Amendment 64 while at all times respecting the diverse perspectives that each member will bring to the work of the task force,” the executive order says. “The Task Force shall respect the will of the voters of Colorado and shall not engage in a debate of the merits of marijuana legalization or Amendment 64.” The group will consider and resolve a number of policy, legal and procedural issues, involving various interests and stakeholders, to implement the new constitutional amendment.