Pubdate: Sat, 25 Oct 2014 Source: Statesman Journal (Salem, OR) Copyright: 2014 Statesman Journal Contact: http://drugsense.org/url/QEzJupzz Website: http://www.statesmanjournal.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/427 Author: Arlene Hammond ALLOWING PEOPLE TO BUY MARIJUANA WILL RUIN CHILDREN So, according to a recent Statesman Journal article, Rick Steves wants Oregon marijuana sold in little coffee shops instead of by criminals on the streets to keep it away from minors. If Measure 91 passes, minors can stay at home with the 8 ounces of legal stuff on the shelf, the candy in the candy dish, cookies in the cookie jar and four plants growing in the back yard. Marijuana is proven to lower brain development in young people and is most addictive when started young. How can we do that to our kids and kids' kids? I'm sure there are thousands of Oregonians who have never become involved with marijuana simply because it is against the law. How many people do we head in the wrong direction by suddenly reversing that? As for that $9 million in tax revenue they are flapping at us, how much of that do you think comes from food budgets of low-income families? Then there is secondhand smoke and impaired driving. If marijuana was scary enough to criminalize it, can we really improve anything by making it legal? Vote no on Measure 91 and see how Washington state fares. Arlene Hammond Woodburn - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom