hempfest.jpg
There are no plans to revoke the 213 medical marijuana authorizations handed out by the two physicians last year. (AP Photo/File)

Seattle Hempfest physicians face charges from health department

Two physicians are facing charges of offering substandard care after their participation in the 2011 Hempfest in Seattle.

King County naturopathic physicians Carolyn Lee Bearss and Dimitrios Jimmy Magiasis are accused of rubber stamping 213 medical marijuana authorizations at last year's Hempfest in Seattle.

One of the patients Bearss authorized was a Seattle Times reporter who wrote a front-page feature about how easy it was to get cleared to use pot in exchange for a $150 or $200 fee.

According to Washington State Department of Health spokesperson Don Moyer, the two physicians failed to review patient histories, document the 15-minute exams or their diagnoses, and failed to establish an ongoing patient-doctor relationship.

There are no plans to revoke the 213 medical marijuana authorizations handed out by the two physicians last year.

MyNorthwest.com, Staff report
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Comments (11)


  • Add A Comment

  • aggrav8 wrote...
    Gee...
    Now there's a surprise.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Citizen of Krazy Town wrote...
    EL OH EL
    That reporter didn't do a very good job. I'd guess better than 50% of providers do the same thing. ANYONE who wants a green card can get one, and usually they can get it subsidized by a local grower affiliated with the provider. If we don't legalize and regulate soon, we are going to have Russian mob style turf wars going on...
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • CH wrote...
    Washington State Department of Health Hate to Break the News to you . . . .
    if a person want to smoke Marijuana he / she will.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • maplefish wrote...
    This is sad
    But, the Feds are never gonna allow "We The People" to legalize weed. There's way too much money at stake. Check out U.S. Patent #6,6630507. Sorry to blow your buzz!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • shark75 wrote...
    Lock them up and throw away the key
    They should face prison time and lose their licenses. This won't happen in liberal Washington state of course, but it a normal world where drug laws are enforced they would be made examples of...
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • maplefish wrote...
    Yeah Right
    Like the Immigration laws...
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • deltta wrote...
    The crackdown
    Has only just begun
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • HPD 5-0 wrote...
    WHAT?! Fraudulent "doctors" giving out fraudulent "prescriptions"?
    For "medical marijuana"? At HEMP FEST?! No way, man. Like I've said before: the "medical mj" movement is using truly sick people to forward it's agenda of dope use. Disgusting, immoral and unethical. But hey...it's supported by the left so at least they're consistent.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • dexterjibs wrote...
    The only thing worse than a pot head
    is the so called medicinal marihuana law and so called doctors aiding and abetting the fraud of medicinal marihuana. All it is are a bunch of drug users that want to get high legally.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • artimus wrote...
    Weed
    Good thing we don't have any real problems to solve.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • jstumbo wrote...
    If they had prescribed oxy...
    ... At the same rate and with the same information, they would be in serious trouble. They should go to jail and lose their licenses.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }