Pubdate: Sat, 27 Oct 2012
Source: Herald News, The (Fall River, MA)
Copyright: 2012 The Herald News
Contact:  http://www.heraldnews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3604
Author: Deborah Allard

BOLD COALITION: DON'T LEGALIZE POT

WESTPORT - The BOLD Coalition - or Building Our Lives Drug-Free - 
held its eighth annual meeting at White's of Westport on Friday morning.

The group reflected on the past year's accomplishments, handed out a 
number of awards, and heard from a keynote speaker with views on the 
medical marijuana question on the Nov. 6 election ballot.

"We have much to celebrate since 2011," said Craig Gaspard, BOLD 
Coalition staff director.

The group - a substance abuse prevention coalition that is made up of 
youth, volunteers, educators, city government, and others - has 
offered prescription abuse outreach to senior citizens and schools in 
the past year and has helped to ban hallucinogenic chemical bath 
salts in the city.

Mayor Will Flanagan spoke to the group Friday morning.

"The BOLD Coalition is an outstanding coalition," Flanagan said. "I 
believe in what they do."

Flanagan said that by educating people about the harmful use of 
drugs, alcohol and tobacco, it can make the city a better and 
healthier place. Flanagan said drugs are negatively affecting the 
city and world, and causing crime and violence.

"A lot of the crime occurring right now is drug-related," Flanagan 
said. "It helps support and feed their addiction."

The BOLD Coalition is in opposition of legalizing marijuana for medical use.

Keynote speaker Heidi Heilman, president of the Massachusetts 
Prevention Alliance, offered a presentation on the subject.

Heilman said it is a "seemingly benign ballot question" that on the 
surface seems to help people suffering from AIDS and cancer. When 
looking deeper into the issue, however, she said it was really just a 
loophole to legalize marijuana.

Heilman said that in California and Colorado where the use of medical 
marijuana has been adopted, there are numerous problems.

She said "marijuana dispensaries," also called "pot stores" and "pot 
clubs," have opened in huge numbers. She said they are easy to open 
and often employ young people.

The stores accept a physician's prescription, which acts like a 
lifetime marijuana prescription. Refills and future doctor's visits 
are not necessary. Pot stores offer marijuana in many forms, even 
masquerading as popular candy products, in baked goods, and in other 
tinctures that include alcohol.

Heilman said people with surgical pain, headaches, back pain, 
anxiety, insomnia, and other mild medical conditions will qualify for 
medical marijuana.

"If we don't get involved, we're going to have pot stores across the 
state in a very short time," Heilman said.

Consumers - which could include children, as there is no minimum age 
- - with their card can purchase up to a 60-day supply of pot at one 
time, she claimed. She said the prescription is not tracked, so 
people may purchase up to another 60-day supply at other pot stores. 
Heilman said they are easily able to amass enough marijuana to sell 
on the street.

They can also legally grow marijuana at home.

"It becomes a public nuisance that increases theft and crime," Heilman said.

Marijuana is federally illegal, adn the law "circumvents our entire 
medical system, our entire pharmaceutical system," Heilman said.

Heilman said if Question No. 3 passes in Massachusetts it would allow 
for 35 marijuana "treatment centers" to be opened in the first year, 
up to five in a county, and allows for more to be established in 
future years. Heilman said there are some 900 dispensaries in Los 
Angeles and 500 in Denver.

Heilman said if the ballot question passes, it will be nearly 
impossible to repeal. It would be enacted into legislation on Jan. 1 
regardless of whether regulations are in place.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom