STATE INVESTIGATES WORKERS WHO OK'D MEDICAL MARIJUANA AT HEMPFEST

State health-care regulators have opened a preliminary investigation
into two medical professionals who were issuing medical marijuana
authorizations at Hempfest.

The investigation was self-initiated by the Department of Health (DOH)
on Thursday based on an Aug. 21 story in The Seattle Times, which
described a reporter's ability to get a medical-marijuana
authorization based on complaints of back pain.

Tim Church, a DOH spokesman, declined to name the two health-care
professionals, but said the state's naturopathic advisory committee
had opened a complaint. "It was opened as a result of media reports,"
he said.

After an initial investigation into the two individuals, DOH will
decide whether to close the case or proceed with a fuller probe and
possibly to a disciplinary hearing, Church said. "Anytime we see
something that could be outside the scope of a medical professional's
license, we take a look at it," he said.

The DOH has not taken action against a medical professional for
authorizing medical marijuana in the 13-year history of the law
allowing it. But the proliferation of specialty medical cannabis
clinics over the past two years has increased concern that patients
are being authorized for conditions not in the state law.