PCMS IS OPPOSING SO-CALLED "MARIJUANA LOUNGES"
It has been well documented in the medical literature, and we are seeing, that cannabis use corresponds with multiple adverse health outcomes. Problems we are seeing related to cannabis use include increased rates of psychosis, depression, anxiety, and suicidality. Cannabis use is associated with increased abuse of other substances including alcohol, opiates, and amphetamines, making it a companion drug rather than an alternative drug. The use of cannabis also leads to uncontrollable vomiting episodes and these visits have dramatically increased in Pueblo hospitals.
As a community we worked very hard to eliminate tobacco smoke from public places, including bars, with significant documented improvement in the health of Pueblo citizens as a result of that effort. We know that the carcinogens in cannabis smoke are more than in tobacco smoke and can result in the same adverse health consequences. Why would we go backwards and approve smoking cannabis in public places? Such a move would continue to legitimize the use of this drug in the eyes of adolescents and young adults further decreasing their perception of harm from the drug. They are the most vulnerable to the harms from this drug.
PCMS Directors Supports Efforts by Pediatrician and State Representative Caraveo
Contact your local leaders, and oppose marijuana hospitality establishments and, encourage them to keep Pueblo smoke-free!
THE BOARD OF HEALTH RESOLUTION AND POSITION STATEMENTS
EVENTS
- Smoking, Vaping, and COVID-19, by Dr. Libby Stuyt. The live stream took place here
- PCMS member physician's presentation to County Commissioners at the work session on June 23, 2020 - https://www.facebook.com/watch... . Click here to view Dr. Stuyt's pdf presentation.
- PCMS member physicians' presentations to City Council at the work session on February 24, 2020 - Facebook 2.24.20 Work Session
SMOKE FREE PROTECTIONS GROUP (SFPG)
PCMS is continuing to work progressively with the Pueblo Department of Public Health and Environment and other essential partners to expand smoke free protections locally. The Smoke Free Protections Group (SFPG) was formed to help educate policy makers and the community on HB19-1230 (marijuana hospitality rooms) and the HB19-1234 (marijuana delivery) legislations.
Requests :
- Medical providers needed to submit cautionary, educational content that we can push out to the public.
- Medical providers to participate in "gold standard” videos of less than 1 minute on the medical reasons we need to keep Pueblo smoke free. PCMS will create the videos during FaceTime calls and set them up similar to a Q&A interview. The videos will be pushed out to the public over social media sites - it’s sometimes easier to watch someone speak than read it ; and it’s also more eye-catching !
The progress of SFPG so far has been presentations to City Council, Mayor, and Commissioners along with op-eds pushed out over social media sites and published in the Pueblo Chieftain .
SAVING OUR YOUTH FROM THE HARMS OF MARIJUANA
JOHNNY'S AMBASSADORS “I want you to know you were right. You told me marijuana would hurt my brain. It’s ruined my mind and my life, and I’m sorry. I love you. ” — Johnny Stack to his mother, 3 days before he died by suicide.
RESOURCES
- Op-Ed: Are Marijuana Use and Suicide Linked? — A review of the data show there's cause for alarm by Libby Stuyt, MD April 23, 2021
- The Retail Marijuana Education Project has distributed this fact sheet about the law.
- Medical Marijuana Currently Available In Colorado Is Not Supported By Research And Puts People At Risk
- The dangers of marijuana and vaping secondhand smoke
- High Potency THC and Justice-Involved Individuals with Mental Illness MHDCJS White Paper
- High Potency THC Marijuana Negatively Impacts Our Most Vulnerable Populations
- The True Cost of Marijuana: A Colorado Town That Went All-In
- Where Are We With CBD
- Pueblo health department shares concerns about cannabis lounges
- Map of Marijuana Legality by State
- Marijuana use rises in US pregnant women
- Cannabis in the Emergency Room
- REF: Posis et al. Preventive Medicine Reports. 2019
- REF: Wang, GS. J. Med. Toxicol. 2017
- Vaping Links to Covid Risk Are Becoming Clear
- Public Health and Medicine’s Need to Respond to Cannabis Commercialization in the United States: A Commentary
- Blog: A new year and new challenges: PCMS opposed "marijuana lounges"
- Blog: Cannabis Forum presented an important "cautionary message
- The dangers of MARIJUANA and VAPING secondhand smoke
- Smoke is Smoke - Understanding the health impact from emissions of marijuana smoking and vaping
- Editorial: A double standard on secondhand smoke
- Opinion: Denver’s marijuana-hospitality proposal would create a health hazard for workers and the public
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Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM) - alliance of organizations and individuals dedicated to a health-first approach to marijuana policy.
Smokefree Pueblo - Former council member Chris Nicoll is a member of SFPG and has created a Facebook page called Smokefree Pueblo. Please share and like the page. Take a look at his February commentary here stressing the importance of putting marijuana lounges to a vote.
Secondhand Marijuana Smoke — It’s No Joke - GASP of Colorado (Group to Alleviate Smoking Pollution) has launched a Facebook page to educate the public about the dangers of secondhand marijuana smoke and vape. Please share and like the page.
BreathefreeColorado was created in 2017 with a grant from the Americans for Nonsmokers’ Rights Foundation and consists of groups dedicated to protecting all Coloradans from breathing the harmful emissions from tobacco or marijuana smoking or vaping.
Smoke-Free Housing Updates - An on-line list of multiunit apartments and condominiums that have a policy prohibiting smoking in all units, balconies, and porches.
Truth Initiative - Take a look at the fact sheet regarding the current state of marijuana legalization and changing state laws, as well as marijuana use patterns among youth and adults and the health effects resulting from such use.
Dalgarno Institute - rediscover the proactive and protective options of best practice prevention models in the alcohol and other drug arena