Colorado Springs, CO – A recent ruling by an El Paso County judge could bring a pivotal decision about recreational marijuana sales to Colorado Springs voters this April. The judge granted an emergency stay request on Wednesday, allowing the city to proceed with placing the question on the upcoming ballot. The ruling comes after marijuana shop owners in Colorado Springs had filed a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of allowing the vote in 2025.
At the heart of the issue is a provision in the state constitution that requires votes on recreational marijuana sales to occur only in even-numbered years. The lawsuit, filed by local marijuana businesses, sought to block the city from moving forward with the vote, arguing that 2025, an odd-numbered year, did not comply with the constitutional mandate.
However, the judge’s decision reversed a previous injunction that had stopped the city from proceeding. With this new ruling, Colorado Springs voters will likely be asked to weigh in on whether recreational marijuana should be allowed for sale within the city. The judge’s order also includes a provision requiring the city to amend the wording of the ballot question to avoid any confusion among voters.
City officials have expressed their intent to move forward with the vote, though the legal battle may not be over. An appeal to the Colorado Supreme Court is still pending, which could ultimately determine whether the decision stands or if the lawsuit will succeed in preventing the vote.
For now, residents of Colorado Springs are left awaiting further developments, as the question of recreational marijuana sales heads to the ballot in just a few months.
