Board of Health

Skokie Board of Health Thursday, May 9, 2024 7:00 pm Conference Room D&E, Village Hall, 5127 Oakton St MINUTES In attendance: Dr. Swapna Dave, Dr. Bruce Gaynes, Dr. Michael Gottesman, Maureen Hanlon, Margaret Keeler, Dr. Girijia Kalyan Kumar, Dr. Edward Linn (Chair), Dr. Kyungran Shim, Dr. Romil Sood, Patricia Urbanus, Irtaza Usman, Rohit Pandya, Ruth Varma, Dr. William Werner, Dr. Larry Williams, Sibyl Yau; Trustee James Johnson; Staff Liaison: Mike Charley Not in attendance: Juliet Haido, Heidi Nickisch Duggan, Jan Shiffman, Trustee Keith Robinson I. Call to Order @ 7:03 PM II. Approval of Agenda: First by Dr. Williams, Second by Sood, Approved III. Approval of Minutes: April 11, 2024 Meeting: First by Dr. Williams, Second by Sood, Approved IV. Old Business A. Niles Township School District 219 Presentation/Discussion – Youth Mental Health – Fall of 2024: Mike Charley communicated that since the last BOH meeting (April 11, 2024) he had successfully touched base with Bridget Connolly, Assistant Superintendent Special Education & Student Services at School District 219 via email. Bridget communicated that she would be willing to present to the BOH in the fall of 2024 regarding information on District 219’s insights and experiences with youth mental health. V. Guest Speaker: Jerrold B. Leikin MD, Cannabinoids and Health: Dr. Leikin was invited to share his expertise on cannabinoids and their impact on health. His presentation covered various aspects of cannabis, including its different types, case studies, health data, and a medical toxicology perspective. He highlighted the correlation between the legalization of recreational cannabis and negative health outcomes, noting an increase in such outcomes in states where recreational cannabis is legal. Dr. Leikin pointed out the significant rise in recreational cannabis sales since legalization, with expectations of continued growth. He emphasized the increasing potency of THC levels in cannabis products and raised concerns about the lack of quality control in their manufacturing. He advocated for stringent quality control measures to ensure product safety and better consumer reassurance. He also criticized current cannabis product labeling as inadequate and called for improved transparency. Doc#: 619532, Version:1  Dr. Leikin reported a rise in marijuana toxicity cases, which are increasingly seen in emergency departments, critical care units, psychiatric facilities, and reflected in the growing number of poison center calls. He expressed his opposition to cannabis legalization, citing several reasons: unpredictable pharmacology, rising adolescent use, insufficient patient education, increased poison center calls, potentially unlimited THC doses, adverse pregnancy effects, growing synthetic cannabis use, inadequate labeling standards, and the unclear benefits of cannabis. Dr. Leikin recommended that public health authorities take an active role in this issue. He urged them to acknowledge the lack of public health benefits from recreational cannabis use, advocate for standardized labeling, ensure public education, discourage smoking and vaping, and push for quality control in cannabis product manufacturing. VI. Public Comments: None VII. Adjournment at 8:30 PM Next Regular Meeting: June 13, 2024 @ 7:00 p.m. Doc#: 619532, Version:1