Medical marijuana in Denver on CNN's mind again during Jim Spellman's "Reefer Row" tour

• Editting can realy make a person's words or intentions look screwed up. NOT defending her at all. Colorado and cannabis go hand in hand. Cannabis and $$ go hand in hand. Until cannabis is legal and EVERYONE who wants to can grow it(as much as they want) we will have a market that is overcharging. When we have it being sold in retail places that ANYONE over 21(should be 18) wants to go get it then prices will come down. Children FOR MEDICAL PURPOSES should be able to use at any age under parent(s) guidance. People should get paid for their labor,investment, and so on. My best guess to grow a pound of TOP SHELF cannabis is about $2,000. That is for bills,time,space,start up costs, nutrients,water, and upkeep costs. IMHO So to charge over 50 an 1/8 is a crime. TO charge over $40 an 1/8 fair. To charge $30 an 1/8 is helping people While still turning a nice profit. Cause to make DOUBLE what you put into something is great..and beyond that is greed. But that is the promblem we have with the transition from ILLEGLA to sensible.

• Lotus, Stop getting shills to astroturf these comments. You suck, get used to it.

• I just would like to say that the staff at Lotus are genuinely nice people who do care about their patients and meds. Their medicine is definately top shelf. The whole MMC/caregiver/hb 1284 debate is ongoing, but these guys are trying to play by the rules and define what a legitimate MMJ busines can look like. It is difficult to be in their shoes and adapt to the ever changing face of state regulations. Just because they are a business does not mean that they do not care about patients. Doctors and hospitals are very expensive and without a doubt for profit entities, but they still exist to help people. 50/ 8th is standard pricing at the street and medical level pretty much everywhere. Its not exceptionally high in my opinion. I give them full respect as they are pleasurable people to interact with and their business model is solid. Cheers

• "you marijuana people"...where "marijuana" is used as an adjective to modify the noun "people" creating a subset of jackassery limited to users of marijuana. Another example?: "you people are not dicks", but "you people posting at 9:14 is a dick". Thus, Bong-oh's point was made by "you people".

• Shawna, Were you going to answer Billy's questions?

• "Bong-oh says: As consistently shown through your postings, you marijuana people are dicks."

• Never mind him, he's stoned.

• what do you mean 'you people'?

• who eat food are dicks to each other too! You dicks!

• I'm sorry to hear of your cancer. Cannabis does help. The point here is: as a patient are you willing to be video taped and have that go over the internet to the dept of revenue to watch live or to hand over to the federal gov. (which still deems marijuana illegal). Will you as a patient agree with your fingerprints being taken to make a purchase of a federally illegal substance? And if so, why? Why do you need to give fingerprints to obtain the safest therapeutic substance known to man? Do you get fingerprinted to pick up any other deadly pharmaceutical meds? NO. When are Americans fingerprints mandatory? WHEN YOU ARE ARRESTED.

• I'm in my late 50's and have stage 3 cancer. After my marriage and having kids I stopped using marijuana until I found out that I had prostate cancer that had spread to my femur a year ago. I went through hell trying to fight it. I was told I wouldn't make it to see the birth of my first grand baby. Before I even had a chance to fight I was told I was going to lose. My wife saw a story on a dispensary in Denver. After talking to my doctor I decided to call around and see how to go about everything. Every place I called was rude, no one would answer my questions, one kid (I say kid because he answered the phone with "Yo") even asked me if I was a Federal Agent! I felt hopeless and my family felt hopeless. My wife heard about Lotus from their radio ad and called them. The next day I was in my doctors office getting my paperwork signed and we went right over to Lotus. Everything I thought about marijuana and dispensaries changed after going to Lotus. Everyone there was friendly and obliging. I felt like I was getting heard for the first time. My first visit took over an hour and at the end of our tour my wife thanked them and cried in the car. We have both been through hell this past year and the only positive of having cancer is that you become grateful for the people who care. I used to pay over 200 dollars a week for treatments and medications. I only spend 50 a week now and it's for my medicine. I have shopped other places and can say that there is no place like Lotus. Things have changed since the 70's and believe me it's only gotten better. Their Durban Poison is my favorite. I thought the interview was great. It focused on a dispensary that I am happy to say I am a patient of and I will also say that I am still alive and a proud grandpa. Lotus isn't responsible for my health but they are happy to share my successes and listen to my problems. To the people who want to argue over whether or not a single person is doing what YOU think represents the marijuana community, take a look at why there is a community in the first place. Lotus is my caregiver for a reason, they care.

• "Strands;strains, who gives a shit? It's about money. Quit trying to act like scientists..." scientists? maybe you meant English teachers? or attorneys? as they would be the ones concerned proper words were used. and that seems to be their point--it's about the money for Shawna, Lotus and most MMC's, not helping patients, surely not protecting patient rights.

• how you get convicted

• As consistently shown through your postings, you marijuana people are dicks. I read these things to laugh at your attacks on one another. You're like the GOP and the Tea Party, only stinkier and with the munchies. You should hire Cheech & Chong to lighten up your image. Strands;strains, who gives a shit? It's about money. Quit trying to act like scientists. Nomenclature won't give you legitimacy.

• was what they were growing

• Yup, taking care of their patients with top shelf meds -- and taking their fingerprints soon and handing them over to the DEA. Excellent care! Why won't Shawna answer my questions? As spokesperson for the industry, what is she afraid of? What "government growing operations" are you referring to? What exactly have you done to "see Medical Marijuana on the ballots" ? What "HUGE financial risks" have you taken to ensure that "patients in all 50 states" have access to medicine? Finally, what "criminals making it unsafe for patients" are you referring to?

• I thought 50 an eighth was the street pricing as well ? The a strains I buy around boulder are more pricy than that.......and Lotus is not upscale. its just normal, the way it should be. I love the zen music cnn played during the piece. You crazy people need to get a life. Cheers lotus crew.

• hahaha The 'word' to spread on CNN is strands? you loser.

• Lotus--Upscale prices for yarn. Good work spreading the 'news' on CNN.

• Shawna, We would love some financial support from Lotus, since we are working on protecting Colorado patients and the constitutional rights to all Coloradans. http://cannabislawsuit.com/

• Been there for 20 years, silly, google my name. Many have worked for years to educate the general public. More have not. Greed kills our educational work. I do not care about any MMC except for the fact that they were so willing to give up their rights and the rights of their patients and the rights of all Coloradans by applying to be MMC's. If dispensaries were illegal, we would have all been arrested when we opened. There was no reason to create MMC's except to give the state a legal way to come prosecute you and your patients.

• Looks like the only thing upscale in Lotus is the prices.

• First off, Lotus has some of the best meds in Denver so they are taking care of their patients. I buy all my meds there when I am between harvests. Second, THEY are on CNN spreading the word and YOU aren't...quit pointing fingers. Have you ever been there? Two words...TOP SHELF!

• Lotus, too upscale for patients. Good for you guys. I'm gonna love to see you all fall.

• "As a lotus patient I would have to point out that billy and the brown mouse have no idea what they are talking about and because of that just sound stupid and angry." ??? I have no idea of what I am talking about? and your 'proof' is I sound stupid and angry? Great. http://blogs.westword.com/latestword/2010/07/medical_marijuana_dispensary_owner_wont_sign_license_application_calls_it_downright_evil.php "and brown mouse, it sounds like you owned a dispensary and you couldn't qualify for the state license? awwww poor mousy." and I sound stupid and angry? Only people who were ignorant to their constitutional rights applied to be MMC's and in the application paperwork they gave up their constitutional rights and signed confessions to federal crimes. I did not qualify to be an MMC because I have a functioning brain.

• Hi Lotus Patient: You wrote: "To say that mmc owners should fight the local and state government and give up their businesses is ridiculous." Yup, just as we expected, LOTUS is in it only for the money. No WAY would they ever actually FIGHT for patient rights. No WAY would they ever risk their business by standing up to the government who is stomping on patients' rights. Business is good when you are raping patients for money and WHO CARES what kind of scrutiny they are open to??! As long as they keep showing up in LOTUS' "upscale" store to pay outrageous prices for questionable medicine, things are GREAT in LOTUS WORLD. Why should they care about patients???? As long as they pay, they can stick their rights up the government's ass!!!! Screw the patients, my business is more important! Hahaha thanks for showing your true colors!

• shit yeah! this is awesome y'all. tear her ass up. fuck all these greedy sonsabitches! strands! haha, even when put on the spot i know they're not fucking strands. shawna clearly has no idea what she is talking about. and rather than learn for herself she surrounds herself with those who do understand. nothing like learning it for yourself. $50 1/8th! go fuck yourself. pure fucking greed. every fucking one of ya's. let's see how things are going for you all in a while when the finger prints start. private caregivers shall take it back.

• As a lotus patient I would have to point out that billy and the brown mouse have no idea what they are talking about and because of that just sound stupid and angry. Lotus is a family/friends owned and run business and everyone involved has families to support. To say that mmc owners should fight the local and state government and give up their businesses is ridiculous. The greed that must have overshadowed billy's "sharp criminal mind" looks like it landed him in jail.....ooops, that sucked eh billy boy? and brown mouse, it sounds like you owned a dispensary and you couldn't qualify for the state license? awwww poor mousy.

• Shawna, We would love some financial support from Lotus, since we are working on protecting Colorado patients and the constitutional rights to all Coloradans. http://cannabislawsuit.com/

• Hey, Shawna, do you really feel good about a 200% mark up? Sounds like real compassion for your pocketbook and not your patients. A %50 eight is BS. "As far as I am concerned we here at Lotus have taken HUGE financial risks to see Medical Marijuana on the ballots and to take this industry national for all patients in all 50 states!" Can you clarify where besides your own Lotus application fee's in CO you have taken HUGE financial risks to get anything on any ballots? And when you admit you came out of real estate and went into marijuana (obviously for money) how can you say you think it's great that all of the people who don't know what they are doing with marijuana got out? You don't know what your doing. Real estate-marijuana, yeah, they just don't have anything to do with each other except when it comes to money. You are in marijuana for money. The people who were in it for the right reasons did not sign up to be MMC's.

• Shawna: Also, can you please explain why you think compliance with the state's new surveillance and database system that will share all patient information with law enforcement will be safer for patients than purchasing medicine on the black market? What happens when employers and insurance companies get a hold of the database? Or do you believe that the state, which somehow can't figure out a way to process a two-page patient application in less than 9 months, will actually be able to design a secure database that will be shared by several state agencies as well as state, local and federal law enforcement? What are you doing to fight against this serious intrusion of the government into patients' privacy rights? What are you doing to protect your patients?

• Shawna: Once again, it sounds like you really are the one that doesn't know what they are talking about, but perhaps you can clear up the confusion. What "government growing operations" are you referring to? What exactly have you done to "see Medical Marijuana on the ballots" ? What "HUGE financial risks" have you taken to ensure that "patients in all 50 states" have access to medicine? Finally, what "criminals making it unsafe for patients" are you referring to? If you are going to put yourself up as a spokesperson for the "industry", you had best start to clear up your language and explain yourself better.

• Want to help overturn the unconstitutional regulations in HB1284 in Colorado? Help by contributing to the imminent lawsuit that will cover/protect the entire state of Colorado. If everyone in the medical cannabis program contributed $5 we would have a real chance at statewide freedom. We could also stop all locals bans, which are unconstitutional, before election day. http://cannabislawsuit.com/

• Dear Billy the Convicted Grower- It seems that you have chosen to express yourself very hatefully toward me, and you don't even know me or what I am about. When you only get a certain amount of time to do an interview and you are nervous, and then edited,sometimes your words get misconstrued. If the tape would have run you would have heard me correct myself with the word strains...as for the people who "don't know what they are doing", I was referring to our government growing operations as well as the criminals making it unsafe for patients to have access to their medicine. As for calling me greedy, you truly don't know me. As far as I am concerned we here at Lotus have taken HUGE financial risks to see Medical Marijuana on the ballots and to take this industry national for all patients in all 50 states! I have never claimed myself an expert, I surround myself with people who do what I can not. People such as yourself, which it sounds by your name you have done time, I feel for, as you have fought this battle since day one. For that I commend you. For putting negative energy out there, I do not. Glad you were able to use your 1st amendment RIGHTS!

• Billy, thanks for hitting the nail on the head. Shawna must be selling yarn or thread in her medicine, since that what strands are. I have noticed many people saying strands and the lack of education continues to lead to more spreading of mis information. If you have no idea of what you are talking about you should shut up when the media comes to talk. We need to start using the right terminology for everything. MMC's (medical marijuana centers, are not protected by the Colorado Constitution and should not be called dispensaries in the legal light of things. Dispensing and sales are protected by the Colorado Constitution. Dispensaries were protected and if patients ran them they were legal statewide. That is why no one was busted. March in HB 1284. The state legislature needed to change the language from dispensaries to MMC's (not even mentioned in the constitution) so they could regulate and control them so strictly that most patients will not obtain their meds there. Karma might be in play here. If you were a greedy person, you did whatever the state legislature and law enforcement wanted, you signed up to be an MMC, so afraid you might lose some immediate cash flow by fighting for your rights. In doing that, you gave up your constitutional rights and opened yourself up to new state regulations. All of the MMC applicants need to wake up and realize the majority of their patients will not shop there once the video cameras and fingerprints begin. Hello--the government set you up to lose your entire businesses (and possibly your freedom) by unnecessary over regulation of patients who will be unlikely to submit themselves to such invasions of privacy, especially when it's still a federal crime. No one is protected by the feds, who are on a current rampage in medical states arresting patients and dispensary owners. People need to start thinking about full re legalization, state wide and nation wide. http://www.legalize2012.com/legalization.money.bomb.html

• If Shawna Santus is such an "expert", why does she refer to "strains" as "strands"? Also, she says that the new laws put the "people that don't know what they're doing" out of business. HB1284 put all the people that had criminal convictions for what Shawna is doing out of business, eliminating her competition. No wonder she has happy. Now she has the nerve to say that these people who sacrificed their freedom, and now their livelihood, for sick patients didn't know what they were doing. You and all the other greedy dispensary owners who are setting up a surveillance and database system to be shared with law enforcement on all their patient purchases should be ashamed of themselves. Word to the wise (which clearly she is not): If dispensary owners don't start to stand up to protect the privacy rights of their patients, instead of bending over to submit to whatever the government asks of them, they will have no more customers. No customers = no money for greedy dispensary owners.

• well, we all know what happened last time somebody went on the news to talk about their operation. let's hope there isn't the same result. even though cnn is the least watched news channel of the news channels it's nice to see a large media outlet covering this, and fairly positively as well.

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