DENVER ?? Gov. Bill signed two medical-marijuana measures into law this morning, saying they??d increase oversight by strengthening rules for dispensaries and physicians.

??House Bill 1284 provides a regulatory framework for dispensaries, including giving local communities the ability to ban or place sensible and much-needed controls on the operation, location and ownership of these establishments,? Ritter said.

Portions of HB 1284, a licensing measure for medical-marijuana centers, take effect July 1. Other provisions in that bill take effect on July 1, 2011.

The second measure signed today, Senate Bill 109, ??will help prevent fraud and abuse,? Ritter said in a statement, but ??ensuring that physicians who authorize medical marijuana for their patients actually perform a physical exam.?

SB109, which took effect upon Ritter??s Monday signature, also prohibits physicians referring patients to the state medical-marijuana registry from having a Drug Enforcement Administration ??flag? on their medical licenses. And it prohibits them from having a financial relationship with a dispensary.

The Longmont Times-Call