"Bad Medicine," Joel Warner, March 11
I think that marijuana should be legal and that the War on Drugs is shredding the Bill of Rights.
But if pot advocates want pot to be legal, then why not just ask the voters of Colorado to...legalize it? Don't hide behind people with AIDS or cancer patients on chemotherapy. Ask the voters flat-out. Amendment 20 and the vast medical marijuana industry it has created is a "wink, wink" sort of approach: "Oh, we're not smoking dope, we're taking medicine." Yeah, sure, and cocaine is great for sinus problems. I love it when advocates for Amendment 20 say, "Oh, we didn't mean for that to happen!! We're shocked, shocked, we tell you!" You wrote the damn thing, didn't you?
But congratulations, Westword! I see you come from the LBJ school of journalism. Future president Lyndon Johnson, when he was in the Senate, used to say that if he couldn't spend lobbyists' money, take their food, drink their booze, sleep with their proffered women and vote against their bills, he was worthless as a U.S. senator. Westword accepts advertising dollars from the cannabis dispensaries, then shows their rotten underside.
Good show!
Peter Gross
Denver
I know that it is the hot topic of the times, but medical marijuana is not the only issue in Denver right now. It's enveloping your publication, and we can all count on the six-to-fourteen pages of dispensary ads every week, but I hardly see why the vast majority of your cover stories are fixated on this issue. I hope it has nothing to do with the revenue coming from the industry advertising.
Please lay off! There are more important things happening.
Bryan Cordova
Denver
When can we expect Westword's banner to finally change over to "Weedword"?
E. Wilks
Denver
Regarding "Bad Medicine," I wish to clarify that my association with CannaMed is strictly medical in nature. This includes medical marijuana evaluations, patient care and education. I understand well and adhere to the medical marijuana laws in this state. Business policies/decisions are made elsewhere within the company, as discussed in the article. This was clearly stated to reporter Joel Warner.
Finally, it should be noted that while issues in the Westword article are important and need to be discussed and resolved, CannaMed has helped many infirm patients during my tenure there since July 2008.
Paul Bregman, M.D.
CannaMed, Denver
"Flight Change," Alan Prendergast, March 4
A very well-done article. Thanks.
When we think of the future for DIA, we cannot escape thinking about the spending on past projects beside the baggage-handling fiasco. The parking exit toll booths were a disaster for many years until they were moved from the main exit road and into the parking areas. And no one thinks about the use of a special terrazzo flooring material (thin and cheaper) that has since deteriorated significantly in the concourse areas. Terrazzo is supposed to last forever, yet there is serious failure at the joint locations. These are decisions made in the early '90s that were costly, yet point out the significant impact of poor decisions.
We have in our own back yard an acknowledged aviation expert, Mike Boyd. "Flight Change" summarizes his clear view of the potential project — basically a big error. When Mike speaks, people should listen. He pulls no punches. I'll never forget his characterization of United's low-cost entry, TED, as a "can of paint," or something to that effect.
Please keep following this project. It seems to be unfolding in a vacuum, with little understanding of the needs of those using DIA, the potential costs and the benefits — if any.
Bill Riaski
Greenwood Village
