Colorado Marijuana Patients Protest Privacy Breaches
DENVER (AP) — Medical marijuana users in Colorado protested with paper bags over their heads Wednesday, asking the state health board to dismantle the medical marijuana registry in light of security breaches cited in a recent audit.
About a dozen patients have asked the Colorado Department of Health and Environment to shut down its list of about 107,000 people who have cards that allow them to buy marijuana at dispensaries.
Colorado's medical marijuana registry is supposed to be confidential, with limited exceptions for law enforcement. But a state audit two months ago revealed the state health department hasn't kept the records secret. The audit criticized the department for sharing the list with contractors without requiring confidentiality agreements.
The health department has agreed to improve security, but the protesters want to see quicker action.
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