Letter to the Daily Camera editor from The Health Center Co-Owner Tiffany Goldman

Tiffany Goldman: Cannabis: Producers call for more research

As a female, minority cannabis entrepreneur who employees up to 200 people in the area, including Boulder,  I was dismayed to read Jennifer Cunningham’s characterization of me and others in the industry as “hard drug” pushers who care nothing about the mental and physical health of children (Camera Opinion, “Pot has become a hard drug,” Feb. 19).

As the mother of three, I was outraged.

These outdated stereotypes don’t add to a rational discourse. They ignore the reality that scores of seriously ill children need higher doses and concentrations of  marijuana to quickly stop seizures, provide relief for severe pain and alleviate excruciating muscle spasms.

And they disregard Colorado health department studies finding teen cannabis use hasn’t increased since legalization, and at times, has declined.

No one wants children using marijuana. In fact, the industry has an underage compliance check rate of  97%, according to the state’s Marijuana Enforcement Division. We continue to support targeted policies with established track records, such as increased prevention education and expanded mental health services.

Hundreds of millions of dollars from marijuana taxes have already funded much of these efforts, but more can be done. And we have repeatedly called for more research. State health officials said they cannot “make unbiased, evidence-based statements on the potential health effects of marijuana products containing high THC concentration” without more scientific research.  So let’s do it.

In the meantime, instituting a broad ban on products without scientific support is not only bad policy, but dangerous.

The illicit market responds where there is demand. Instead of regulation from “seed to sale,” cannabis obtained illegally isn’t subject to safety standards, exposing patients, consumers, and yes, children, to adulterated and contaminated products.