Paper Seeks Medical Marijuana Critic

(CBS)  Westword, a newspaper in Denver, is looking to recruit a new critic.

This critic wouldn't be reviewing movies or food, but another commodity entirely -- medical marijuana.

Patricia Calhoun, editor of the newspaper, said on "The Early Show" that many people have been interested in the position, which is to review Colorado's medical marijuana dispensaries.

Calhoun said there isn't a typical applicant. She said the resumes she's received this week vary widely, from engineers who have taken medical marijuana for chronic pain to amateur pot smokers who have taken the substance for 20 years.

Special Report: Marijuana Nation

"The longer they've been smoking pot, the less they use punctuation," Calhoun said. "It will make my job always harder. We still use periods."

But will the critic get to know the product through personal experience?

Calhoun said, "(The critic) will certainly have to sample the product."

And there's plenty of that product in Colorado, according to Calhoun, who said the business of medical marijuana is thriving in the state.

"It is like the wild West out here. We've had the constitutional amendment in 2000 making medical marijuana legal, and it is so broad that now it is unbelievable booming business," she said. "There's almost no regulation at all on it, and given the Fed's decision that came down on Monday, in which people aren't supposed to be prosecuted for buying medical marijuana in these states, we are getting new dispensaries every day in Denver."

But is the marijuana indeed medicinal?

Calhoun said that's what the discussion is all about.

She said, "Some people are a little skeptical about just how many people who get their medical marijuana cards are using it for pain, and how many are using it for pleasure."

For more with Calhoun on "The Early Show," click on the video below.


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[stuart-johns2]

"The longer they've been smoking pot, the less they use punctuation," Calhoun said. "It will make my job always harder. We still use periods."
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Well Ms. Calhoun, you should'nt worry about applicant's not using punctuation and blaming that on smoking pot. You should be concerned that you made such a stupid statement. I know hundreds of pot smokers (who does'nt) and they write just fine, punctuation and all.

And whether people are using marijuana for pain or pleasure is a dumb concern. If I can do away with my pain, I am pleasured.

[Christen-Mitchell]

This editor starts off with a bigoted slam -The raw hatred generated by the press with their little jokes demeaning tokers tells me that this Westword and seemingly all the other rags are one very good reason this Republic is finished. Journalism is long dead. Let tyranny reign, Ms Calhoun, you can chronicle and contribute to to the fall. Blissful for you.

[smart58]

how do one send a comment or resume for the marijuana critic? U am very much interested.

[smart58]

Julie and Maggie look old to have children 0-4 years. I thought Julie was 47-50 and Maggie 45-48. How old are they?

[taxpayingvoter]

do any of you live with chronic pain? I have Pancreatic cancer and to stop the pain I take 500mg of Demorol a day. To eat they allow me to smoke a joint. I gaind 13 pounds by doing that. I have been able to reduce the Demorol by 200mg a day now with the use of the medical marijuana. They put me on Meridol but that was a waste of time and money.
It is strange how all of the drugs got here. First it was opium from the chinese building the railroad, then coaine to get you off the opium. We have pain meds from cocaine, opium and even worse but to make a medical maijuana joint help some one you would think that we became the " Subverters of all thats Holy"

[taxpayingvoter]

do any of you live with chronic pain? I have Pancreatic cancer and to stop the pain I take 500mg of Demorol a day. To eat they allow me to smoke a joint. I gaind 13 pounds by doing that. I have been able to reduce the Demorol by 200mg a day now with the use of the medical marijuana. They put me on Meridol but that was a waste of time and money.
It is strange how all of the drugs got here. First it was opium from the chinese building the railroad, then coaine to get you off the opium. We have pain meds from cocaine, opium and even worse but to make a medical maijuana joint help some one you would think that we became the " Subverters of all thats Holy"

[antoniof123]

It is funny but so many deaths happen not from smoking the stuff but from the durg wars.

So if smoking doesn't kill and who cares if it does if you want to kill yourself you should then why are they killing?