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.