Pubdate: Sun, 19 Oct 2014 Source: Tampa Tribune (FL) Copyright: 2014 The Tribune Co. Contact: http://tbo.com/list/news-opinion-letters/submit/ Website: http://tbo.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/446 Author: David Gee Note: David Gee is the sheriff of Hillsborough County. Page: V3 WHY PARENTS SHOULD BE ALARMED ABOUT AMENDMENT 2 By now we've all heard the arguments for and against the legalization of 'medical' marijuana under Amendment 2. The amount of inaccurate and confusing information about the legalization of 'medical' marijuana can overwhelm parents. Some of the information we hear about cannabis is conflicting, making it hard to understand the ways it may affect our children. Is it addictive? Does it cause psychosis? Is it really a medicine? What will happen if my child uses it? What should I tell - or not tell - my child about it? Adults haven't quite made sense of it all yet, so it's even harder to explain to kids. It's legal in Colorado, Washington and Arizona, but still illegal under the federal law? How will this all play out in a year? Five years? Ten years? Unfortunately, young people interpret public support for 'medical' marijuana laws like Amendment 2 as confirmation that marijuana usage is a low-risk behavior. The opposite is true. Emerging research shows that smoking marijuana before the brain completes maturing, generally around age 25, is strongly associated with long-lasting forms of brain damage. Studies find that teens who report regular marijuana use are 60 percent more likely to drop out of high school, seven times more likely to attempt suicide, 18 times more likely to develop cannabis dependence and eight times more likely to use other illicit drugs later in life. Adolescent marijuana use is also increasingly linked to a long-term reduction in intelligence and the development of schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders. The amount of the psychoactive and addictive ingredient THC in marijuana has risen steadily over the past three decades, presenting the frightening implication that future damage to young minds and potential will be even be worse. In the U.S., the Food and Drug Administration is responsible for approval and regulation of drugs. Marijuana has nearly 500 chemical compounds, and its smoke contains 50 percent to 70 percent more carcinogenic hydrocarbons than tobacco smoke. Ballot initiatives like Amendment 2 sidestep FDA safeguards and protections. The result is that marijuana sold in 'medical dispensaries' is largely the same in quality and has the same addiction and health risks as marijuana sold on the street. Absent in the discussion about 'medical' marijuana is the impact legalization of marijuana will have on your children and you as a parent. Although the potential benefits and consequences of medical marijuana are yet to be scientifically validated, parents will immediately begin to feel the consequences. As a parent, would you let someone under the influence of alcohol drive your children to school or teach them in a classroom? How will you know if the school bus drivers or teachers responsible for driving your children or teaching them are under the influence of 'medical' marijuana? Of course, this is not limited to the school system. What about healthcare providers or law enforcement officers making life and death decisions while under the influence of 'medical marijuana?' What will be the cost to employers, public and private, to litigate the denial of a 'constitutional right' in cases where employees are prohibited from being under the influence at work? Other unforeseen consequences to our children as our nation continues its rush to legalize marijuana emerge almost daily. Marijuana is a contributing factor to more and more traffic crashes - crashes that are already the leading cause of death among young people. Another less deadly, but still troubling, consequence came through recent headlines. A legal manufacturer of marijuana-infused candy in Denver, Colorado, admitted that many such products are indistinguishable from candy that has been on the market for years, stating that 'there's really no way for a child or a parent or even anybody, even an expert in the field, to tell you whether or not a product is infused or not.' As a result, local police are warning parents about the new danger to allowing children to trick or treat. The Florida Department of Health estimates that 1,800 'medical marijuana treatment centers' will open in Florida if Amendment 2 passes. Hillsborough County alone may have 120 such marijuana dispensaries. Parents will be left to explain to children why marijuana dispensaries with names like the Cannabis Clinic, the Cannabis Club or the Cannabis Hemporium are more numerous than fire stations, libraries, middle schools, high schools and even McDonald's restaurants. Studies conducted in medical marijuana states provide clues as to what Florida can expect should Amendment 2 pass. Residents in medical marijuana states have marijuana abuse/dependence rates almost twice as high as states without such laws. Fifteen of the top 20 states with the highest levels of driver-admitted drugged driving are medical marijuana states. 'Medical' marijuana states appear at the top of the list in terms of drug addiction and abuse by 12- to 17-yearolds. A large national survey estimates that 40 percent of 12th-grade marijuana users in medical marijuana states obtained marijuana through their own or another person's medical marijuana 'prescription.' Advocates of Amendment 2 have said that future Florida Legislatures will be able to fix the law if unacceptable issues arise from its passage, and legislative leaders have confirmed they will try to do so. However, all parties understand the truth - legislative bodies cannot take away rights that are granted within a state or federal constitution. If Amendment 2 is passed, it will create a constitutional right to 'medical' marijuana that is among the most permissive in the nation. Amendment 2 creates a constitutional right for citizens to be approved for medical marijuana use for any 'conditions for which a physician believes that the 'medical' use of marijuana would likely outweigh the potential health risks.' Physicians treating patients for toothaches, depression, psoriasis or foot pain will all have a constitutional right to authorize the use of marijuana for their patients. Although the majority of our physicians adhere to sound, responsible medical practices we all saw what happened with the proliferation of the 'pill mills' throughout the state where a handful of unscrupulous doctors were writing tens of thousands of prescriptions a month resulting in thousands of deaths to our citizens. Florida's 'medical' marijuana treatment centers will have a constitutional right to sell medical marijuana and also marijuana-infused 'food, tinctures, aerosols, oils, or ointments.' Future legislation that seeks to reasonably restrict the use of medical marijuana to certain disabling diseases, to narrow the type of physicians who can 'prescribe' marijuana, or to prohibit marijuana's placement in food products that appeal to children, such as candy, will likely be challenged as unconstitutional. Science documents that addiction is a disease of the brain and has the same, and at times more debilitating effects, than other chronic medical conditions. Alcoholism, illicit drug use and addiction to prescription drugs all have a negative effect on the individual, the family, and the community. The cost to society of addiction is staggering and is reflected in health challenges, school failure, lost job productivity, child welfare and justice system involvement. Government-funded research seeking safe and effective use of marijuana or its component compounds has been ongoing and many new research projects are moving forward. Because this process involves extensive testing to safeguard the lives of Americans, it will take time. Amendment 2 will short-change this process at the expense of the safety and well being of Florida's citizens and in particular, our children. I urge Florida voters to carefully consider these facts when voting on Amendment 2. Let's keep Florida as a proud example of a state that values and protects the safety of our citizens and particularly our children above all else. - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom