Pubdate: Thu, 22 Sep 2016
Source: Arizona Republic (Phoenix, AZ)
Copyright: 2016 The Arizona Republic
Website: http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/24
Author: Alex Baczewski

LEGAL MARIJUANA WOULD MAKE KIDS SAFER

Political reporter Yvonne Wingett Sanchez moderates a debate between
Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery (against) and J.P. Holyoak
from the Pro Prop 205 Campaign over legalizing recreational marijuana
in Arizona.

William Bennett needs to spend some time on a high school campus ("€œ3
lies the pro-marijuana side is pushing ...,"€ Sept. 19). Marijuana is
already prevalent and widely available. I a€™m going to support
legalization because I want to get the drugs out of our schools. The
people who sell marijuana also sell other things that are very nasty and
things that can get you very addicted.

Yes, I a€™m glad to take a dent out of the drug trade of the Mexican
cartels, and the initiative will do that. Yes, I think it'€™s
ridiculous that the government can tell an adult what they can do with
a relatively benign recreational substance.

Yes, I want to free up law enforcement to pursue more serious crimes,
and yes, I want to make space in our prisons for people that are doing
property or bodily injury crimes. But the main reason I support the
initiative is so kids don'€™t have to interact with drug dealers who
can profit by getting young people strung out on heroin or meth.

Alex Baczewski, Flagstaff
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MAP posted-by: Matt