Pubdate: Thu, 03 Jul 2014
Source: Westword (Denver, CO)
Copyright: 2014 Village Voice Media
Contact: http://www.westword.com/feedback/EmailAnEmployee?department=letters
Website: http://www.westword.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1616
Author: William Breathes

WHERE CAN I FIND A CANNABIS-FRIENDLY PHYSICIAN?

Dear Stoner: I recently retired to Colorado from Texas, where I was 
with my doctor for more than twenty years. I want to find a GP or 
internist in the Denver area who is marijuana-friendly. While I may 
not want or need that prescription anytime soon, I'd like to start 
with a doc who likes the idea of cannabis before pills when 
necessary. Can you offer any recommendations of how to find such a 
person? What a joy for this to even be a valid question! I love you, Colorado!

Granny

Dear Granny: We answered the doctor question a while back, but the 
long/short of it is that while we are not in the doctor-recommending 
business, we know that finding a good physician is important. If you 
have coverage already, start by finding a GP you feel comfortable 
with, and be open with him or her about your take on medical care. If 
you don't jibe, move on to the next one; this is your health we're 
talking about. But know that even if they support cannabis, most docs 
in huge networks shy away from recommending it and will suggest that 
you go to someone (paid for out of pocket) for a second opinion and 
recommendation. The good news? There are more than 800 doctors in 
Colorado writing pot recommendations right now, according to state 
records, so finding one shouldn't be too hard.

Dear Stoner: We're coming over from Dallas later this summer and are 
trying to pick a hotel room. Do we have to have one that has a 
balcony, or can we smoke inside?

J.R. and Sue Ellen

Sue Ellen

Dear Dallas: It's complicated. Marijuana smoking is included in 
Colorado's clean-air laws along with tobacco smoke, so pot smoking is 
banned everywhere that tobacco smoke is banned - on top of being 
banned in public, period. So lighting up weed in your non-smoking 
hotel room can still result in an absurd hotel-smoking fine or even a 
ticket, if the hotelier is an asshole. The exception is smoking rooms 
- - but even then, it's up to the hotel as to whether ganja smoke is 
tolerated. Even balconies aren't necessarily safe. Denver law says 
consumption visible from any public place is illegal. Of course, if 
you're five stories up, who's to say you aren't smoking tobacco out 
of that $1,500 bong or pen-length, hand-rolled cigarette? Just know 
the laws - even if police have said that a person smoking a joint on 
a balcony is about the last thing they're going to worry about. If 
you really want a nice, safe spot to smoke herb while visiting 
Denver, check out Adagio Bed and Breakfast's "Bud and Breakfast" 
package or online sites like Airbnb.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom