While it's still controversial, medical marijuana is edging toward normality. Forty states (and the District of Columbia) now have some form of law on the books that allow the drug to be used for a variety of ailments, and sales are soaring— reaching $5.4 billion in 2015.

That doesn't mean it's widely available in all of those states, of course. Some, like Alabama and South Carolina, have extremely strict circumstances under which cannabidiol products can be prescribed, and still forbid the production and distribution of the drug. And even in states where it's easier to come by, there are differences in how it's handled.

As the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs seek to become the first in the state to sell reservation-grown marijuana, they have looked out of state for help with growing and selling their new cash crop.

That’s where Sentinel-Strainwise comes in. Just created in May, the joint venture between Florida-based investment group Sentinel Capital Partners and Strainwise Inc., a corporation that provides consultation, services and support to marijuana cultivators and dispensaries in Colorado and elsewhere, was sought out by the tribes last year.

Boulder County is studying the county's Land Use Code to see whether it adequately addresses concerns about people cultivating marijuana plants and making pot-infused items in their own homes.

Colorado voters' legalizations of medical and recreational marijuana have "presented numerous land use challenges as the new laws have been implemented," county officials said in a news release.

They said Boulder County has tried to have its current Land Use Code contain "sensible regulations to address the impacts while allowing the various associated uses" of marijuana in unincorporated areas.

DENVER (CBS4)– A committee in the state House has endorsed a bill to create a program to certify marijuana as organic.

The Public Health Care and Human Services committee sent the bill to the finance committee on Friday. The bill directs the state agricultural department to get a third party to draft certification regulations.

If it passes, Colorado would be the first state to regulate organic labels in the pot industry.

Although organic standards are regulated on the federal level, the U.S. government considers pot an illegal substance. That makes it difficult when marijuana growers want to call their product organic.

Published: Feb 19, 2016, 12:52 pm

By David Migoya, The Denver Post

First use of governor's order that would destroy tainted weed over worries it contains potentially harmful pesticides

Colorado marijuana regulators Friday announced they have put a large but undisclosed number of plants and products on hold from two cultivation facilities over concerns they were treated with unapproved pesticides.

The health-and-safety advisory by the state's Marijuana Enforcement Division is the first use of an executive order by Gov. John Hickenlooper issued in November declaring pesticide-ladden pot a "public safety risk."

Former investigations chief and Marines Corps Reserve colonel will lead Marijuana Enforcement Division

The state's Marijuana Enforcement Division on Friday announced that its former chief of investigations is now its director.

Jim Burack was promoted to the top job two months after his former boss, Lewis Koski, was named deputy senior director for the Colorado Department of Revenue's broader enforcement division.

That division oversees the separate enforcement operations of the marijuana industry, auto industry, gaming, liquor enforcement, and racing. All are within the Colorado Department of Revenue.

Marijuana has attracted many labels in its time. On Friday, Colorado lawmakers debate whether the state should give the drug one more often associated with purple carrots than purple haze — certified organic.

Colorado starts work Friday on becoming the first state to regulate organic labels in its pot industry, with other legal weed states watching to see whether they too should step in to help consumers wondering what's on their weed. Organic standards are regulated federally, and pot remains illegal at the federal level, meaning there's nothing stopping commercial pot growers from calling their wares organic.

The bill, scheduled for its first hearing Friday, would prompt Colorado’s department of agriculture to make certification rules for pesticide-free cannabis

Colorado marijuana consumers will be able to buy pesticide-free, “certified organic” weed if lawmakers pass a new bill aimed at creating special labels for the state’s legal cannabis industry.

“This is going to be the Whole Foods version of cannabis,” said Jonathan Singer, a Democratic state representative sponsoring legislation to establish state-approved organic pot. “This is just the next natural step in making sure marijuana is treated similar to alcohol. We’ve got organic beer and organic wine.”

DENVER -- Colorado's legal marijuana businesses have had their struggles with the federal government and now you can add Facebook to the mix.

Many dispensaries and other marijuana related pages have been disappearing from the popular social network with little explanation beyond a violation of "community standards."

If you visit Starbuds Marijuana Dispensary on Brighton Boulevard, you'll see it's open for business, but if you try to visit their Facebook page you'll begin to wonder if they ever existed.

"Our pages started getting shut down maybe 11 days ago," said Chante Rivera, director of mareketing for Starbuds.

Rivera says all of the company's Facebook pages for their six locations were shut down within a day.