Denver • Colorado’s governor on Monday vetoed a bill to allow marijuana retailers to set up “tasting rooms,” dashing hopes that the state would be the first to adopt a system letting consumers use marijuana in public spaces.
Gov. John Hickenlooper has objected to similar bills in the past, arguing it could prompt a federal crackdown. He stayed quiet on the issue during the legislative session this year but wasn’t satisfied with the scaled-back proposal. In a letter explaining the veto, Hickelooper wrote that the bill could have resulted in more impaired drivers on Colorado’s roads and other public health risks.