Pubdate: Mon, 11 Jul 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: Laurie Roberts

WHY I'M AGAINST THE INITIATIVE TO LEGALIZE MARIJUANA

I Oppose the Proposal to Legalize Marijuana in Arizona and Suddenly 
I'm An Advocate for Tossing Potheads in Prison. WHO Knew? "Laurie 
Roberts Believes That Arresting 12,000 Marijuana Users in Arizona 
Every Year Somehow Stops Kids From Getting It," Writes Peter B. 
Wilson of Phoenix, in a Letter Published Thursday About My Recent 
Column on the Proposition That'll Be on the November Ballot.

Actually, Laurie Roberts Believes That Arresting People for Using 
Marijuana Is a Waste of Time and Resources.

in Fact, Only 131 of Arizona's More Than 42,000 Inmates Were in 
Prison for Possession of Marijuana As of August 2013, According to a 
2014 Report by the Arizona Prosecuting Attorneys' Advisory Council. 
and I'd Bet That Most of Those 131 Were Originally Charged With More 
Serious Crimes and Pleaded Down to Marijuana Possession.

but Surely We Can Eliminate Possessing Weed As a Felony Offense 
Without Rushing to Join Four Other States in Wholesale Legalization.

I Confess I Can't Jump Onto the Bandwagon That Is the Marijuana 
Policy Project's Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol. I Don't 
Understand the Logic That Because Alcohol Is a Major Problem in 
Society, We Should Legalize Marijuana Like Alcohol So It, Too, Can 
Become a Bigger Problem.

Wilson, in His Letter, Makes All the Usual Arguments of the Pro-Pot Crowd.

If You Suggest That Arizona Wait Until We See the Longer-Term Impacts 
of Legalization in the States Where Such Initiatives Already Have 
Passed, You're Called a "Prohibitionist" - One WHO Is Depriving Kids 
of the Untold Riches Headed Their Way If Only We Legalized and Taxed Marijuana.

If You Suggest That Having Pot in Your Home Would Make It More 
Accessible to Kids, You're Called Uninformed.

"It Is Easier for Kids to Get Pot Than Cigarettes and Booze, 
Precisely Because the Latter Are Lawfully Regulated," Wilson Argues, 
in His Letter.

in Fact, "Teens Have Readier Access to Alcohol Than Prescription 
Drugs or Marijuana Within an Hour and Within a Day," According to a 
2012 National Survey of Teens, Conducted by the National Center on 
Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University. in Arizona, 
Alcohol Is Far More Commonly Used by Teens Than Marijuana, According 
to the 2014 Arizona Youth Survey.

and If You Call into Question Whether There Are Harmful Long-Term 
Effects for Kids, You're A "Fearmonger." Pot, We Are Told, Is a Lot 
Like Cake. "MS. Roberts Is Worried Because She Cannot Find 'A 
Definitive Study by a Serious Peer-Reviewed Medical Journal, Assuring 
US That Pot Is Without Harm,' " Wilson Writes. "What About Cake? Ice 
Cream? Pizza? Candy Bars? Soda Pop? Why Not Outlaw All These As Well, 
None of Which Have Definitive Studies Showing They Are Without Harm?"

This, Then, Is the Argument for Why We Should Legalize Marijuana? 
Because Cake and Pizza Might Be Dangerous, Too?

I Don't Know What This Guy's Smoking, but I'd Suggest Maybe It's Time to Exhale.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom