June 2017 News For Healthy Communities

June 2017 News for Healthy Communities

Denver Animal Shelter Offers Additional Vaccination Clinics Throughout June

Pet vaccinations are an essential part of ensuring the health and safety or your pet. As the number of rabid skunk cases found in Denver and across the metro area continues to increase, Denver Animal Shelter (DAS) is offering additional clinics throughout June to help ensure pets are protected.
Rabies is a viral infection that affects the nervous system of humans and other mammals. If contracted and left untreated, it is almost always fatal. Most Colorado rabies cases are found in skunks and bats but rabies can also affect other wildlife, pets and livestock.

The additional vaccination clinics will be offered in June, every Tuesday through Friday from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at DAS (1241 W Bayaud Avenue). DAS also offers low-cost vaccination clinics every Saturday and Sunday from 9 to 11 a.m. Fees include:

$15 – includes rabies vaccination
$35 - includes rabies, distemper/ parvo and a one-year pet license
$55 - includes rabies, distemper/ parvo and a three-year pet license
$25 - microchip

Due to the number of rabies cases identified in Denver’s Northwest area, a free rabies vaccination and a one-year pet license will be offered on June 17 from 9 to Noon at Cheltenham Elementary School, located at 1580 Julian St.

Cats must be in a carrier, dogs on a leash. Visit www.denveranimalshelter.org for more information.

New Marijuana Health & Safety Line Offers Health and Safety Advice

On May 10, Denver Health’s Rocky Mountain Poison and Drug Center Partners and Denver’s Department of Environmental Health launched the state’s first Marijuana Health & Safety Line to offer health and safety advice specific to the marijuana industry.

The 24-hour-a-day, seven-day-a-week Marijuana Health and Safety Line connects callers with pharmacists, nurses and toxicology experts at Denver Health’s Rocky Mountain Poison and Drug Center. These medical experts can answer questions about occupational safety hazards for marijuana industry workers as well as questions about pesticides, toxins, additives, ingredients and contaminants in marijuana and cannabidiol (CBD) products. Callers can also contact the line regarding safe-use concerns, such as those surrounding potentially tampered with packaging or serving sizes.

The Marijuana Health and Safety Line is a three-month pilot project, funded by the City and County of Denver.

As of December of 2016, more than 1,100 active marijuana businesses were licensed in Denver. Denver Environmental Health (DEH), the first agency in the world to inspect marijuana food businesses for product safety, is responsible for overseeing the regulation and safety of marijuana products through its Public Health Inspections Division.

From 2013 to December of 2016, DEH investigators made more than 2,500 site visits to marijuana-related facilities and conducted more than 80 investigations pertaining to marijuana products that were potentially contaminated with pesticide residues or at risk for other contamination. Of those 80 investigations, 35 showed off-label pesticide use and almost 25 of those showed the use of multiple off-label pesticides.

“We are eager to see a resource for reliable information to both consumers and industry employees, and we are excited that this resource may yield data and insights about the health impacts of cannabis consumption and occupational exposure,” said Danica Lee, Director of the Public Health Inspections Division at DEH.

The Marijuana Health & Safety Line gives public health professionals an additional, powerful resource to help them stay in line with technology advances in the marijuana industry.

The line is not meant for anyone experiencing life-threatening emergencies, and callers requiring immediate medical assistance will be directed to 911 operators immediately. Additionally, this line is not meant for use as a directory of dispensaries and will not be useful for anyone seeking specifics of dispensaries, such as locations, hours and pricing. The Marijuana Health and Safety Line can be reached at (877-741-3777).

Mayor Hancock Reaffirms Commitment to Climate Goals

On June 1, Mayor Michael B. Hancock reaffirmed his commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions just prior to the Trump Administration's announcement that the U.S. would withdraw from the historic Paris Agreement.

Adopted by 195 nations, including the U.S. in 2015, the Paris Agreement is an agreement within the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change which requires participating countries to set voluntary targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to mitigate the acceleration of climate change.

The United States is the second largest producer of greenhouse gas emissions, responsible for 15 percent of the world’s emissions. The U.S. joins China and the European Union as the top sources, which combined, are responsible for more than half all greenhouse gas emissions.

The impacts of climate change are already being felt across the planet, including in Colorado, where climate disruption has contributed to and exacerbated severe drought, reduced snowpack and river flows, extended pine beetle devastation, and devastating forest fires.

According to the National Climate Assessment released earlier this year, Colorado and the Southwest can expect even more heat waves, more extreme and sustained droughts and poorer air and water quality in the decades ahead.

With the announcement, Mayor Hancock joined more than 50 mayors and governors across the country in reaffirming a continued commitment, despite the federal withdrawal.

“Denver has been a leader in combating climate change and in growing the clean energy economy. We will not back down from our commitment to address this global threat and will continue the pledge to meet the targets of the Paris Agreement even in the absence of federal leadership,” said Mayor Hancock.

Denver was among the first cities to complete a community-wide greenhouse gas inventory in 2007, then release a Climate Action Plan to reduce emissions in 2008.

In 2015, Denver released an new Climate Action Plan with short and long term goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 80 percent by 2050.

You can view Mayor Hancock’s full statement, and sign up to get involved the City’s climate planning by signing up for our mailing list.

Free Adult Cat Adoptions through June

In honor of National Cat Adoption Month, Denver Animal Shelter is waiving the fees on adult cat adoptions all through June. Visit www.denveranimalshelter.org or stop by 1241 W. Bayaud Ave. for more information.