Pubdate: Sat, 20 Dec 2014
Source: Washington Post (DC)
Copyright: 2014 The Washington Post Company
Contact: http://mapinc.org/url/mUgeOPdZ
Website: http://www.washingtonpost.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/491
Author: Otts Laupus
Page: A14

CONGRESSMEN WHO MOVED TO BLOCK D.C. MARIJUANA INITIATIVE: 
HYPOCRITICAL OR HELPFUL?

Rep. Andy Harris (R-Md.), in expounding his rationale to negate the 
District's vote to legalize the possession of marijuana, wrote with 
his co-author that "Many studies have shown that use of marijuana can 
have a wide range of negative effects. . . . Marijuana is the illicit 
drug most frequently found to be a factor in car accidents, including 
fatal ones."

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2012 
the licit drug alcohol was a factor in one-third of all 
traffic-related fatalities. Illicit drugs such as cocaine and 
marijuana were involved in 18 percent of all fatal accidents, but 
these drugs were often used in combination with alcohol. There is no 
clear-cut study available to date of marijuana alone causing traffic 
fatalities.

It is interesting to note that, in his last election, Mr. Harris 
received $5,000 from the National Beer Wholesalers Association, more 
than $3,000 from Diageo, a liquor manufacturer and distributor, and 
$1,000 from the Distilled Spirits Council.

Otts Laupus, Ellicott City
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom