Colorado health board suspends medical marijuana rule

DENVER • Colorado health officials have decided to temporarily eliminate a regulation involving medical marijuana caregivers, putting off a final decision until next month.

The state health board took action Tuesday because members are concerned their definition of who can provide patients with medical marijuana contradicted a ruling last week from the Colorado Court of Appeals.

The board has said that anyone who supplies the drug should be considered a caregiver under the state's voter-approved medical marijuana law. But the appeals court ruled that caregivers must have personal contact with medical marijuana patients and do more to help a patient with a debilitating condition that merely provide them with the drug.

The health board will make a final decision on Dec. 16.