Pubdate: Mon, 20 Oct 2014
Source: Star-Banner, The (Ocala, FL)
Copyright: 2014 The Star-Banner
Contact:  http://www.starbanner.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1533
Author: Bill Hirschi

KING'S REEFER MADNESS

In 1936, the film "Reefer Madness," described by the Internet Movie
Database as "a fictionalized and highly exaggerated take on the use of
marijuana," was released.

On Sunday, Star-Banner readers were treated to our own Reefer Madness
courtesy of State Attorney Brad King. Like the 1936 film, King's
version was, at the very least, "highly exaggerated."

King's statistics from Colorado give us few baseline numbers. Let's
take just one example: From 2007 to 2012, King tells us, fatal car
crashes involving marijuana went up 100 percent. Of course, if there
was one marijuana-related fatal crash before 2007 and two since,
that's a 100 percent increase. It sounds scary, but it's actually
insignificant.

King does give one specific number, claiming 77 percent of Colorado's
454 driving under the influence of drugs incidents in the first six
months of 2014 involved marijuana. That's roughly 350. In Florida in
2012, there were 53,664 arrests for driving under the influence of
alcohol, with 28,689 convictions. I look forward to King's op-ed
calling for restoration of the 18th Amendment and the Volstead Act.

Medical marijuana use is legal in 23 states. Marijuana has proven
highly effective in combatting seizures, chronic pain, lack of
appetite and nausea associated with several diseases. Many studies
also suggest it is far less addictive, with far fewer adverse health
and social effects, than cigarettes, alcohol and prescription pain
medication.

I'm not falling for King's Reefer Madness. I'm voting Yes on Amendment
2.

Bill Hirschi

Ocala 
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MAP posted-by: Richard