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NORTHWEST DISTRICT SHERIFFS SPEAK OUT AGAINST ISSUE 3

PORT CLINTON - Many sheriffs throughout the area recently signed their names in opposition to Issue 3, a proposed amendment that would legalize marijuana and allow for 10 growing facilities within Ohio.

The Buckeye State Sheriffs' Association's board of directors announced its opposition to the proposed amendment to the state's constitution and included the signatures of 21 sheriffs from counties throughout northwestern Ohio.

Among those who signed was Ottawa County Sheriff Steve Levorchick, who has spent his entire life in or around law enforcement and said he considers the issue of marijuana to be tied in with drug use as a whole.

"A high percentage of all crimes committed are due to alcohol and/or drug use," he said.  "If we were able to alleviate one or the other, it would lessen the crime within our country considerably."

ResponsibleOhio, the primary advocacy group supporting Issue 3, says it is seeking the amendment because it believes marijuana prohibition has failed.

"By passing Issue 3, we'll free up the more than $100 million per year that law enforcement spends on failed marijuana laws in our state," said Faith Oltman, ResponsibleOhio spokeswoman.  "This will allow law enforcement to focus on real criminals and our state's heroin epidemic."

One of the top areas of concern for the Buckeye State Sheriffs' Association's board of directors is that the legalization of marijuana will cause more issues for both youths and law enforcement.

"The association remains committed to the youth of our state by supporting the D.A.R.E.  program and SRO officers," they said in a news release.

If Issue 3 were to pass and increase the presence of marijuana in the state, Levorchick said, he would be concerned about the drug's availability to youths and its negative effect on grades and work ethic.

"Right now, they know that it's illegal, it's not OK to use," he said.  "Once you make it legal and the kids have the increased availability to obtain marijuana, I think you'll see a considerable change in our youth."

The Buckeye State Sheriffs' Association also noted the prevalence of marijuana detection among impaired drivers, citing statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.  According to the NHTSA, marijuana was the most commonly detected illegal drug in impaired drivers, fatally injured drivers and others involved in motor vehicle crashes.  That statistic excludes alcohol but includes illicit use of prescription drugs.

Levorchick said marijuana's prevalence in auto crashes caused by impairment could be due to its already high availability, which legalization would further increase.

"Part of the main danger of being impaired by marijuana is the fact that your reaction time is slowed," he said.  "With that impairment, everything slows down."

The National Institute on Drug Abuse cited multiple medical research studies finding that marijuana does impact the motor skills and coordination involved when driving and found a direct relationship between blood concentration of THC, the active ingredient in marijuana, and impaired driving ability.

"As sheriff, being the chief law enforcement officer of the county, it is our belief that Ohio's businesses need to offer a safe work environment while remaining competitive in the work force," the Buckeye State Sheriffs' Association stated.  "Society is not immune to the social ills that follow destructive behavior."

"You have to look at what's best for our community, and I don't think legalizing marijuana is what's best our community, our state or our country," Levorchick said.