Pubdate: Thu, 16 Oct 2014
Source: Corvallis Gazette-Times (OR)
Copyright: 2014 Lee Enterprises
Contact: https://gazettetimes-dot-com.bloxcms.com/app/forms/contact/letters/
Website: http://www.gazettetimes.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2976
Author: Jean Nelson

OREGON, HEED WARNING FROM COLORADO GOVERNOR; DON'T LEGALIZE MARIJUANA

Oregonians, listen to Colorado's governor, Democrat John 
Hickenlooper, who was in office when voters legalized marijuana by 
changing Colorado's constitution in November 2012.

On Oct. 6, Hickenlooper said Coloradans were "reckless" for voting to 
become the first state to legalize pot for adult recreational use. 
Marijuana becomes more easily available to youth when adults in the 
home are users, and doctors and researchers are concerned about 
marijuana's effects on youth.

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, marijuana is 
addictive and delays brain development in adolescents.

Dr. Andrew Mendenhall, medical director of Hazelden at Beaverton, 
Oregon, an addiction treatment clinic, wrote a warning this week in 
the Portland Tribune:

Children of parents who have used marijuana are more than three times 
more likely to use it themselves.

More than one in 10 youth report being high at school or while 
driving on a daily basis.

Marijuana users are much more likely to use other drugs than non-users.

Why would an educated, civilized society want to make marijuana 
easily available to youth? Are there just too many selfish adult 
potheads with impaired reasoning?

It's time for the Gazette-Times to be running daily columns by 
medical researchers exposing the dangers of marijuana to youth. All 
I've seen are articles sounding like the legalization of marijuana is 
a foregone conclusion.

Colorado's governor is reeling from a huge backlash against him. 
Don't follow Colorado's mistake. Please join me in voting "No" on 
Ballot Measure 91.

Jean Nelson

Corvallis
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom