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Lothar121

Legalizing Marijuana Isn't Good for State
Tom Carson | Reno Gazette Journal | 10/24/2006

The ballot Question 7 to legalize recreational marijuana has fueled a lot of conversation, some factual, some not. Proponents of legalization want you to believe legalizing marijuana, "a safe drug," in Nevada would provide the state with a clean business and create sales tax revenue. Let's look at the facts.

If you smoked marijuana in your youth, you need to know that the "pot" of today is much stronger. In fact, it has twice the concentration of THC, the chemical that affects the brain, than it did 20 years ago. Marijuana is an addictive drug and is the most commonly used illicit drug.

Marijuana use:

• Impairs short-term memory.
  
• Impairs attention, judgment and other cognitive functions.
  
• Impairs coordination and balance.
  
• Increases heart rate.

The ripple effect of passing ballot Question 7 would affect everyone in Nevada.

• It would affect employers who could no longer ask an employee to take a drug screen to test for marijuana use, even though workers who have tested positive for marijuana had disciplinary problems at work 64 percent more often than those who tested negative.
  
• It would affect any person driving. A 2005 study showed that 45 percent of motorists pulled over for reckless driving (who were not impaired by alcohol) tested positive for marijuana.
  
• It would facilitate youth access to the drug. More adults using marijuana would provide youth with more access, a fact that is frightening since almost 12 percent of Washoe County students say they have tried marijuana before the age of 12. And more than half of adult users say they get marijuana in a house, apartment or dorm.

Think of the people you come in contact with on a daily basis. Would it be OK with you if they were all able to use marijuana recreationally and perform their duties? Do you want the teacher who teaches your child about the effects of drug use smoking marijuana? If this initiative passes, your doctor, lawyer, child's teacher and next door neighbor will be able to use marijuana recreationally.

Now let's look at the tax revenue issue. The scenario of the state earning tax revenue on the purchase of marijuana is highly unlikely. While the language of the initiative calls for state regulated and licensed retail businesses to sell marijuana, federal law prohibits Nevada from licensing the production or sale of marijuana. Without licensed businesses selling marijuana, no taxes would be generated for the state.

You may ask, "If there are no licensed businesses selling marijuana, where would a person buy it?" The answer is: the same place a person buys it now "" in an illegal market. Regardless of the outcome of the election, possession of marijuana is still illegal by federal law.

Finally, let me leave with this thought: Under current law, two-thirds of new marijuana users are under the age of 18. If this initiative passes and that number increases, are you OK with your child being part of that statistic?

Think before you vote. Think of yourself as a parent, a business owner, a driver and a citizen and choose not to endorse another addictive drug.

 

Lothar121

Not true. The law has nothing to do with employee drug testing. Employers would still have the right to drug test their employees. I wonder if he didn't realize this or just decided to lie to scare voters away.

No a word about that: 2006 Initiative | Regulate Marijuana in Nevada

Testing positive for marijuana does not mean they were impaired on marijuana. As most of you know, marijuana has inactive metabolites that stay in the body for some time after impairment. In actuality, many separate studies have concluded that although subjects impaired on marijuana are impaired, unlike those intoxicated on alcohol, marijuana consumers are generally aware of their impairment and attempt to compensate by slowing down and allowing more room between their car and the next.

Perhaps a better question to ask is how this initiative would affect anyone's driving. Irresponsible folks that don't obey the DUI laws are largely already disobeying the law by smoking and driving under prohibition. It's a little absurd to suggest that those responsible enough to follow the possession laws will suddenly start breaking DUI laws whenever marijuana is legalized for adults in the privacy of the home.

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pipewerkz

It's funny.. Any time the topic comes up to legalize Marijuana you hear the same old bullshit. They fog the mind of week minded people by dragging some off subject crap in.

This is the one that really kills me.. Lothar121 said it right Marijuana can stay in your system for a long time, that doesn't mean you are high or even feel any affects of the drug. Yet you still hear that argument where ever you go, on the new etc. "He was found to have marijuana in his system."

Would it be OK if they did something that wasn't effecting my life at all?? Let me think about that one... The writer is making the mistake of not treating this like a legal drug. Most people don't drink at work, it's kind frowned upon. What makes him think that these people are going to be doing this at work and at school while they are teaching. Aren't we teaching these kids about the dangers of Alcohol too? but that same teacher will go home and have a glass of wine.

What a shame..
But there's good news!! YOU don't have to if YOU don't want to.

And I bet those two-thirds don't drink or smoke cigs either right? Right...

If im not mistaken it's easier for kids to get Marijuana then for them to get cigs or alcohol.

When will we put an end to this countries the failing drug policy?