Pubdate: Mon, 29 Jun 2015
Source: Arizona Republic (Phoenix, AZ)
Copyright: 2015 The Arizona Republic
Contact: http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/opinions/sendaletter.html
Website: http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/24
Author: Lisa James
Note: Lisa James of Scottsdale is chairman of Just Vote No Arizona.
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v15/n332/a03.html

RECREATIONAL POT BAD - JUST MEET MY BROTHER

E.J. Montini's recent column, "Prosecutor fiddles with the facts on 
marijuana deaths," misses the point being made by Yavapai County 
Attorney Sheila Polk and other opponents of recreational marijuana.

The research study Polk cited may not serve as evidence one could use 
in a courtroom to directly tie marijuana to 62 children's deaths in 
Arizona in 2013, but I can tell you from personal experience you 
should be using it in your family room, your classroom, your doctor's 
office and when you walk into the voting booth next November.

Legalizing recreational marijuana in our state is a bad idea. The 
impact on individuals, families and society is staggering.

The first time my brother was arrested, he was 17 years old. The last 
time he was arrested was three months ago. At 44 years old, he has 
spent half his adult life in jail, prison or rehab.

He missed his youngest child's birth, countless birthdays, holidays 
and simple family dinners. It cost him his business, then his job, 
his home, and his health. What started as hanging out with the wrong 
crowd and smoking pot in high school led to crack cocaine, bath salts and meth.

If we legalize recreational marijuana, we are sending a message to 
our kids that, in the words of my own teenage son, "If it's legal, 
that means it's not that bad, right?"

Wrong. Unfortunately, years of discussions about how bad choices can 
ruin lives, as evidenced by his uncle, are thrown out with one 
statement about making it legal.

As any family member of an addict knows all too well, drug abuse 
ruins lives. And not just the life of the user. My parents and my 
brother's wife and three kids have been through unimaginable grief 
and suffering.

And the community suffers as well. When you are an addict, you don't 
have an income. You are not contributing to society. You are not 
paying taxes. You are not being the best parent you can be.

We were both raised under the same roof with wonderful parents. So 
why him and not me? I don't know.

What I do know is that next year we have a chance to vote no and tell 
our kids that recreational marijuana use is not OK. Because I would 
never wish on anyone what my family and I have gone through and 
continue to go through.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom