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Denver City Council Approves Extension Of Ban On New Pot Businesses

DENVER (CBS4) - Denver's extending its ban on new marijuana businesses.

Forty percent of the pot shops in Colorado are in Denver. When voters approved recreational marijuana the city allowed only medical marijuana dispensaries to get in on the new business. Now a two-year moratorium will be extended another 120 days until May 1.

The Denver City Council approved the temporary extension on Tuesday. Mayor Michael Hancock wants to study the issue.

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Smart Colorado is one group backing the city's proposal.

"Both in the grow side and the actual shops I think that there's concern … to just take a slower approach," Gina Carbone with Smart Colorado said.

The city will use the time between now and the end of April to study the long-term effects of the booming marijuana business on the community.

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