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The phones were buzzing at a recent medical marijuana hearing

A A A Comments (3) Thursday, Nov 12 2009

What happens when the state decides to hold a last-minute meeting on a controversial topic like medical marijuana, then tries to hold it via a conference call using technology that apparently no one knows how to work? Comic genius.

Location Info

Venue

Medical Marijuana for Wellness

Map

Medical Marijuana for Wellness

1240 S. Parker Road
Denver, CO 80231

Category: Marijuana Dispensaries

Region: Southeast Denver

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The November 3 teleconference's official transcript reveals the chaos and confusion among those who attended the packed meeting at the office of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. While the public was invited to call in and listen to the hearing, it turns out that no one flicked the right switch or toggled the right doohickey to make sure the listeners were put on mute. Instead, everyone was allowed to comment freely over the phone during the meeting — and comment they did.

The resulting transcript (unedited excerpts follow; see the entire thing on the Latest Word blog at westword.com) reads straight out of Cheech and Chong Go to Washington. — Joel Warner

UNID MALE: There's about 200 people in this building. Oh, yeah. It's a madhouse.

UNID MALE 2: (indiscernible) last night.

UNID MALE: (indiscernible) of medical marijuana. You guys will never be able to (indiscernible) ever. You are way too big.

UNID MALE 2: (indiscernible) laxative.

UNID MALE: Forty million marijuana smokers in America. Gimme a break. (Simultaneous conversation)

UNID MALE 2: Hey, man. (indiscernible) you need to put your phone on mute. I know everyone in that room can hear what you're saying, so put your phone on mute.

UNID MALE 3: We're trying to take a roll call of the board.

UNID MALE: He's going to get the roll call (indiscernible) roll call (indiscernible).

UNID MALE 2: I got instructions...

UNID FEMALE: We can't hear you. It sounds like three other people have joined.

UNID MALE: I can hear.

UNID FEMALE 2: We're going to have two separate call lines going. So some of the beeping that you're hearing is the line that you're not on.

UNID FEMALE 3: I got in.

UNID MALE: (Indiscernible) it's on.

UNID MALE 2: What?

UNID MALE: We're fine here. (indiscernible) everybody else. We know we've (indiscernible) we're going to (indiscernible) everybody else.

UNID FEMALE: On the conference call, please mute your phones and take them off speaker phone now.

(Simultaneous conversation)

UNID MALE: (indiscernible) relationship (indiscernible) barbecues every couple of months. I mean —

UNID MALE 2: Shut up.

UNID MALE: — we do it the way they want it, but —

UNID MALE 3: Whoever is having the conversation about barbecues, your phone is not on mute. Respect —

LATER IN THE CONVERSATION:

They defined managed as to direct, control, govern, administer, oversee. The Court also (indiscernible) —

(Music playing)

UNID MALE: Hello. What's going on?

UNID FEMALE: The music, please.

UNID FEMALE 2: Turn that off.

UNID MALE: Somebody has on music. Please turn the music off.

UNID MALE 2: Mute the phone.

UNID MALE: They're going to have to put us all on hold.

(Music playing)

UNID MALE: Hey, idiot with the music, turn it off.

UNID FEMALE: Get rid of the music now.

UNID MALE 2: Can we please get that person off of this call?

UNID MALE: Dude, mute the phone!

UNID FEMALE: This is the most important part of this.

(Music playing)

UNID FEMALE: Is it possible for the moderator to respond?

UNID MALE: There is no moderator. That's why they call this chaos.

UNID FEMALE: I don't think (indiscernible) this music on.

UNID MALE 2: This person is in violation of the law, and in (indiscernible) —

(Simultaneous conversation)

UNID MALE 2: — the notice. Turn off the music.

(Music playing)

UNID MALE 2: This is a violation of the law. You are violating public (indiscernible) rules (indiscernible). Turn off your phone and music now.

LATER IN THE CONVERSATION:

JAN: — regarding 5 C.C.R. 1006-2, regulation 2, definitions, submitted by Robert J. Corey, Attorney at Law, November 3rd —

(Simultaneous conversation)

JAN: — the proposed —

UNID MALE: Mute your got-damn phone.

JAN: — (indiscernible) is —

UNID FEMALE: Hello.

(Simultaneous conversation)

JAN: — three. And it reads significant responsibility for managing the well-being of the patient means —

JAN: — more than merely supplying a patient (indiscernible) —

UNID MALE: Shut up about your fucking mango.

LATER IN THE CONVERSATION:

G. SCHLABS: Are there other questions or comments from the board, Karen?

(Simultaneous conversation)

UNID MALE: Legalize it.

K. MULCH: No, there is not.

UNID MALE: Legalize it.

UNID MALE 2: Shut up.

G. SCHLABS: I'd like to thank you all for (indiscernible). And (indiscernible) any objections (indiscernible), we're adjourned.

(Simultaneous conversation)

UNID MALE: Legalize it.

(Simultaneous conversation)

(Recording ends)

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Love thy Neighbor 11/12/2009 9:52:00 PM

Lets remember that it can TRIGGER underlying conditions, it does not create them. The scenario for the mental condition is already there, its much like blaming a kid that because he ate tons of candy he became diabetic (when all along diabetes clearly runs and is present in their family's genetic makeup). We clearly are not going to outlaw candy and bad food are we? What about cheeseburgers and junk food? Are we going to outlaw them because it could stimulate conditions which cause health complications? (like... death) Absolutely not! It is our responsibilty as humans to make the choices which are wise for SELF, while at the same time not harming others. Clearly this would mean that MMJ is not a viable option for patients with issues of mental health (and even that is a case by case issue). Broad assumptions and regulations are not wise when regarding issues of health as each individual is unique.. like a snowflake. (threw that in for you Colorado folks ;) ) Lets all use reason and compassion with decisions regarding peoples health. Thank you.
UNID MALE 11/12/2009 3:08:00 PM

LEGALIZE IT!
Don Mulvaney 11/12/2009 1:35:00 PM

So who is responsible financially for mental illness claims when you induce schizophrenia in already ill persons? www drugwatch org/research/marijuanamentalillness htm Reference: Mass R. et al, Psychopathyology 2001:34-209-214, Cannabis Use, Schizotypal Traits, and Cognitive Function in Healthy Subjects. Marijuana use can stimulate the symptoms of schizophrenia, according to researchers at Okayama University in Japan. Their study found similarities between the brain dysfunctions in schizophrenic patients and the disruptions in brain activity caused by marijuana use. Marijuana Linked to Schizophrenia, Depression By Adam Marcus (HealthSCOUT) THURSDAY, Nov. 21 2002 (HealthScoutNews) As many as one in seven cases of schizophrenia could be prevented by eradicating marijuana. That's the contention of a new study of Swedish soldiers that found smoking pot increases the risk of the psychiatric disorder by about 30 percent. The Swedish study is one of three reports in this week's British Medical Journal linking marijuana to emotional problems, including depression and anxiety, as well as schizophrenia. Schizophrenia Society of Sask. Warns Doctors of Marijuana Risk Doctors should be wary when asked to prescribe medical marijuana, says the Schizophrenia Society of Saskatchewan. "Marijuana is detrimental to someone who has schizophrenia. It's a bad mix," said Kathleen Thompson, executive director of the Schizophrenia Society of Saskatchewan. The society has written the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Saskatchewan urging doctors to be sure their patients do not have a history of schizophrenia prior to prescribing medical marijuana. Study finds cannabis triggers transient schizophrenia-like symptoms New Haven, Conn. -- The principal active ingredient in marijuana causes transient schizophrenia-like symptoms ranging from suspiciousness and delusions to impairments in memory and attention, according to a Yale research study. Lead author D. Cyril D'Souza, M.D., associate professor of psychiatry at Yale School of Medicine, said the study was an attempt to clarify a long known association between cannabis and psychosis in the hopes of finding another clue about the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. "Just as studies with amphetamines and ketamine advanced the notion that brain systems utilizing the chemical messengers dopamine and NMDA receptors may be involved in the pathophysiology in schizophrenia, this study provides some tantalizing support for the hypotheses that the brain receptor system that cannabis acts on may be involved in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia," he said. "Clearly, further work is needed to test this hypothesis." www justice gov/dea/ongoing/marijuana html Q: Does marijuana pose health risks to users? * Marijuana is an addictive drug1 with significant health consequences to its users and others. Many harmful short-term and long-term problems have been documented with its use: * The short term effects of marijuana use include: memory loss, distorted perception, trouble with thinking and problem solving, loss of motor skills, decrease in muscle strength, increased heart rate, and anxiety2. * In recent years there has been a dramatic increase in the number of emergency room mentions of marijuana use. From 1993-2000, the number of emergency room marijuana mentions more than tripled. * There are also many long-term health consequences of marijuana use. According to the National Institutes of Health, studies show that someone who smokes five joints per week may be taking in as many cancer-causing chemicals as someone who smokes a full pack of cigarettes every day. * Marijuana contains more than 400 chemicals, including most of the harmful substances found in tobacco smoke. Smoking one marijuana cigarette deposits about four times more tar into the lungs than a filtered tobacco cigarette. * Harvard University researchers report that the risk of a heart attack is five times higher than usual in the hour after smoking marijuana.3 * Smoking marijuana also weakens the immune system4 and raises the risk of lung infections.5 A Columbia University study found that a control group smoking a single marijuana cigarette every other day for a year had a white-blood-cell count that was 39 percent lower than normal, thus damaging the immune system and making the user far more susceptible to infection and sickness.6 * Users can become dependent on marijuana to the point they must seek treatment to stop abusing it. In 1999, more than 200,000 Americans entered substance abuse treatment primarily for marijuana abuse and dependence. * More teens are in treatment for marijuana use than for any other drug or for alcohol. Adolescent admissions to substance abuse facilities for marijuana grew from 43 percent of all adolescent admissions in 1994 to 60 percent in 1999. * Marijuana is much stronger now than it was decades ago. According to data from the Potency Monitoring Project at the University of Mississippi, the tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) content of commercial-grade marijuana rose from an average of 3.71 percent in 1985 to an average of 5.57 percent in 1998. The average THC content of U.S. produced sinsemilla increased from 3.2 percent in 1977 to 12.8 percent in 1997.7 Q. Does marijuana have any medical value? * Any determination of a drug's valid medical use must be based on the best available science undertaken by medical professionals. The Institute of Medicine conducted a comprehensive study in 1999 to assess the potential health benefits of marijuana and its constituent cannabinoids. The study concluded that smoking marijuana is not recommended for the treatment of any disease condition. In addition, there are more effective medications currently available. For those reasons, the Institute of Medicine concluded that there is little future in smoked marijuana as a medically approved medication.