Voters, I urge you to oppose legalization of recreational marijuana, I-190 and CI-118.
Legalizing recreational marijuana will negatively affect our young people by making marijuana easier to obtain. Look at states that have already legalized it. Colorado leads the country in past 30-day use of marijuana by youth, with Washington and Oregon trailing closely behind. These three states are also in the top six for regular cannabis use by youth.
The negative effects of marijuana use, especially on adolescents, is real. One recent study found that cannabis use, when begun during adolescence, was associated with cognitive impairment in multiple areas, including executive functioning, processing speed, memory, perceptual reasoning, and verbal comprehension. These effects can last a lifetime, and the full impacts on youth brain development is still not fully known.
Regular cannabis use affects cognition, decision making and motor skills. Regular users have been shown to have traces of THC in their system for up to 60 days after use, with continued impairment. Do we really want those users out on the road operating vehicles? Or operating heavy machinery on construction sites?
Increased costs to our healthcare system and law enforcement will outweigh any financial gains through taxation. Increased emergency room visits due to psychotic affects, DUI injuries and fatalities, and workplace accidents due to impairment…these are all risks of marijuana legalization.
Please get the facts on the risks of legalized marijuana and vote no on I-190 and CI-118. It is simply not worth the risk to our state.
—Beth Emter, Clancy
