Pubdate: Sat, 31 May 2014
Source: Crestview News Bulletin (FL)
Pubdate: 31 May 2014
Author: Mike Milburn
Note: Mike Milburn served as a Montana State Representative from 
2005-2012 and served as Speaker of the Montana House of 
Representatives in 2011 and 2012.

FLORIDIANS SHOULD BE WARY OF MARIJUANA LEGALIZATION

In spite of the widespread effort to normalize marijuana, Montana 
knows firsthand the societal problems it can cause. In effect this 
crusade of acceptability has undone years of "zero tolerance" and the 
"drug free" campaign in our schools and communities.

Most legalizers agree that marijuana is dangerous for adolescents, 
and argue that it will still be illegal for them. But it's those 
young adults the industry targets. They are the primary users, 
consuming the majority of illegal drugs and suffer the most from its 
long term consequences.

Montana passed an initiative to legalize marijuana for medical 
purpose. The industry exploded and became a multi-million dollar 
operation. By 2011 Montana had the 6th highest rate of youth 
marijuana use in the country and the 4th highest rate of youth addiction.

As a state legislator I was inundated with complaints from cities, 
towns, communities, law enforcement officials, treatment centers and 
schools about disruption, safety, crime, dropout rates, students 
stoned and apathetic toward school and life in general. This new 
enterprise was making drugs so familiar and acceptable that it was 
changing Montana's culture. Montanans felt duped. Come to find out 
the initiative was promoted and paid for by the Marijuana Policy 
Project, an organization whose purpose is for the total legalization 
of the drug.

I heard of growers destroying neighborhoods, reducing the values of 
homes and the foul language, harassment, and stench of crowds at the 
dispensaries. Parents complained that kids could not play in their 
own yards. Multiple dispensaries set up near schools, targeting our youth.

Students wrote asking who was defending their rights to a safe, drug 
free school. They wanted their friends back. Major industries in 
Montana reported the inability to find job applicants who didn't test 
positive for drugs.

Montana's Chief of Narcotics testified, "The current situation is a 
public health and safety disaster as well as a law enforcement 
nightmare . . . and an embarrassment to Montana on a national level." 
He said Montana was growing so much marijuana it had become a "source 
country" for illegal export of the drug. Organized crime moved in and 
one of the world's largest outlaw motorcycle gangs was involved in 
running drugs to their east coast counterparts. Our surrounding 
states did not consider us good neighbors.

The 2011 Montana legislature reined in the exploding marijuana 
industry, curbing commercial grows.

The Office of National Drug Policy recently stated that the 
"confusing messages being presented by popular culture, media, 
proponents of 'medical' marijuana, and political campaigns to 
legalize all marijuana perpetuate the false notion that marijuana is harmless."

Marijuana is a Schedule I substance under the Controlled Substances 
Act, meaning that it has a high potential for abuse and no currently 
accepted medical use in treatment. The Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) 
reports that where marijuana laws have been relaxed throughout the 
world, marijuana usage and addiction rates go up. That was certainly 
the case in Montana.

THC, the active ingredient in marijuana, chemically acts on specific 
molecular targets in brain cells called cannabinoid receptors, part 
of a neural communication network. It replaces the natural reward 
system in the brain, the same as other addictive drugs. Extensive 
medical research has shown marijuana affects brain development of 
this network when used regularly by young people and can cause 
permanent cognitive damage and also permanently reduce IQ.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse reports the negative effects of 
marijuana can last for days or weeks after the acute effects wear off 
and "someone who smokes marijuana daily may be functioning at a 
reduced intellectual level most or all of the time." A grave concern 
when you think of an impaired surgeon, airline pilot or heavy 
equipment operator.

It's no surprise that increased marijuana use is associated with 
lower grades, higher dropout rates, increased absences and tardiness 
in school and the workplace, work related accidents, compensation 
claims, job turnovers and crime.

There's an illogical deluge of propaganda out there. Facts tend to 
get shouted down by those pressing for legalization. It leaves one to 
wonder if we are not only losing the war on drugs but the war on common sense.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom