Pueblo health professionals meet to discuss marijuana health concerns

A battle in the health industry over banning recreational marijuana. Following the recent announcement of the petition, several medical centers are now taking a stand.

Medical professionals met in a closed meeting in Pueblo Wednesday, to discuss whether recreational marijuana is safe for the health of the people in Pueblo.

Saint Mary Corwin, Parkview and the Pueblo Community Health Center favor banning recreational marijuana.

“The harm is that there’s an increased risk alternate trajectory of brain development in youth. There’s also increased risk of agitating and worsening some mental health disorders,” said Dr. Michael Barris, with Pueblo Community Health Center.

Doctor Richard Rivera who is a family practice physician in Pueblo, who disagrees with those statements.

“We have a lot of evidence it helps for PTSD and we know it helps a lot for people who are terminally ill who use it for nausea control,” said Rivera.

The owner of a local pot shop, Leaf on the Mesa, tried to get inside the meeting to hear the concerns but wasn’t allowed in.

“They turned me away. I was just there for informational purposes as being a member of the community and being in the industry,” said Iesha Jiron, manager of Leaf on the Mesa.

Jiron’s worries about the recent petition aiming to ban recreational marijuana in Pueblo.

“We have supplied several jobs, we are legit business. I encourage anyone from opposition of cannabis to come into my store,” said Jiron.

Now as both sides look for evidence of health effects, it’ll come down to the voters to decide if recreational marijuana has a negative affect on the community’s health.

Petitioners have until Aug. 8 to gather 5,454 signatures to place the initiative on the November ballot.