Pubdate: Fri, 19 Feb 2016
Source: Arizona Republic (Phoenix, AZ)
Copyright: 2016 The Arizona Republic
Contact: http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/opinions/sendaletter.html
Website: http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/24
Author: Merilee Fowler

BEFORE ARIZONA GOES TO POT LIKE COLORADO, ASK YOURSELF THIS ...

Preventing kids from using drugs and alcohol is not easy, in fact, it 
is complicated.

But this much we know about keeping kids safe from alcohol and drugs; 
the way to reduce the number of kids who use is to decrease supply 
and easy access, and increase the understanding of risks.

Colorado, where marijuana was made legal in 2014, now leads the 
nation in youth use of marijuana and all illicit drugs. Colorado has 
been the proving ground that legalizing marijuana increases supply, 
increases ease of access, decreases perception of risk and increases 
the social acceptance of the drug.

It is loud and clear that legalizing marijuana in Arizona will result 
in the same and our youth will use more.

That is why I ask a few questions to really think about:

Would you want your child or grandchild to use the mind altering drug 
marijuana?

Would your neighborhood be better if there was more marijuana drug use?

Are your child's teachers going to be better educators if they use 
the drug marijuana?

Is Arizona going to be a better state to live in with more adults and 
children using marijuana?

- - Merilee Fowler

Prescott Valley
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom