DENVER - The top federal prosecutor in Colorado insists he is not bluffing when it comes to his threat to seize any and all medical marijuana dispensaries that are operating within 1,000 feet of a school.
U.S. Attorney John Walsh spoke openly about the dispensary debate for the first time in months on Thursday. His words come a week after his office sent letters to 23 dispensaries suggesting that "action will be taken to seize and forfeit the property if they do not discontinue the sale and/or distribution of marijuana within 45 days."
Walsh told 9NEWS his office intends to send more letters out in the near future and that no dispensary currently operating within 1,000 feet of a school is safe.
"I would say to any medical marijuana dispensary owner whose property is within 1,000 feet of a school that they will be receiving this letter, and they should be preparing for that," he said.
"The fact remains - and sometimes we don't talk about this - but the fact remains [marijuana] is against federal law," he added. "The bottom line is it's against federal law. We're trying to approach this approach in a measured way, but there really are no guarantees."
Last week, noted Colorado marijuana-rights attorney Rob Corry told 9NEWS he felt the letter was "a colossal bluff" on the part of the U.S. Attorney's Office.
On Thursday, Walsh said he intended to carry out with property seizures and/or search warrants if the dispensaries in question do not close by Feb 27.
"It is not a bluff," he said. "We certainly have the resources to take action."
"Congress has instructed us that we should take care to protect zones around schools," he said. "I don't know if there was a specific breaking point. I think there was a building wave of concern."
He says he continues to hear of teenagers obtaining marijuana from medical marijuana patients.
Marijuana-rights advocates were quick to criticize Walsh's words.
"I think this is a massive overreach by the federal government," attorney Brian Vicente said. "I think it really could hurt one of the few growth businesses in Colorado, and it can also hurt patients who will have less and less places to go."
The head of the Medical Marijuana Industry Group, Michael Elliott, says his office is closely watching the new developments. Elliott says it was concerning, adding that the state's regulations remain the most extensive and thorough in the country.
"Colorado's regulatory framework is hundreds of pages long," he said.
Walsh's words come at a time when California's four U.S. Attorneys are following through on their intent to shut down dispensaries close to schools.
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