Pubdate: Sun, 04 Oct 2015
Source: Vindicator, The (Youngstown, OH)
Copyright: 2015 The Vindicator
Contact:  http://www.vindy.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3298

OHIOANS, DON'T BE SWAYED BY PRO-MARIJUANA TV ADS

There are a couple of slick TV commercials that are designed to 
convince voters of Ohio that the legalization of marijuana would be a 
good thing and would be good public policy. However, we would urge 
television viewers  and readers of the literature being mailed to 
households in the state  to beware of drug pushers bearing gifts. The 
push to legalize pot in Ohio is being led by ResponsibleOhio, an 
umbrella organization funded by a small group of so-called investors 
who will reap huge financial benefits if State Issue 3 on the 
November general election ballot is approved

It is noteworthy that while the commercials and other advertising 
paid for by ResponsibleOhio PAC tug at the heartstrings by featuring 
a family that has moved to Colorado so the child can have access to 
marijuana to treat her medical condition, and a former captain of the 
vice unit in the Cincinnati Police Department, there are many more 
individuals involved in health care and law enforcement who are 
stridently opposed to legalization.

OPPOSITION FROM POLICE

Indeed, former Capt. Howard Rahtz's contention that marijuana reform 
will make for a safer Ohio brought this response from the Fraternal 
Order of Police of Ohio.

"This proposal would make the daily challenges of our jobs even 
harder," said FOP President Jay McDonald. "How can we keep children 
safe when adults can legally possess significant quantities of 
marijuana at home within easy reach, or when marijuana retail stores 
can operate within a stone's throw of a newly built school or day 
care? Issue 3 is a nightmare for the law enforcement community."

The police organization noted that the constitutional amendment 
proposed by Issue 3 would authorize the possession of up to 9 ounces 
of marijuana for adults 21 and over - 8 ounces of home-grown 
marijuana and one ounce of commercially purchased marijuana - which 
would allow a heavy recreational user to maintain a 16-month supply at home.

And the FOP contended that although the amendment distinguishes 
between home-grown and commercial marijuana, there is no way for 
law-enforcement officers to tell the difference between commercial, 
home-grown and illegal marijuana.

It is the commercial growing of the weed that has rallied the 
opponents of Issue 3, including this newspaper. We remain unwavering 
in our belief that legalization will be bad for society, bad for 
businesses and bad for the well-being of young people.

DON'T CREATE DRUG CARTEL

Beyond those compelling reasons there's one that ResponsibleOhio and 
other proponents are attempting to avoid like the plague: Issue 3 
would authorize in the Ohio Constitution a drug monopoly - cartel - 
of investor groups. They would own the 10 mega marijuana farms in 10 
counties and would have total control over the commercial production 
of the drug.

There are billions of dollars to be made, which means they will reap 
the benefits of their investments many times over.

As for the TV commercial featuring the family with the little girl 
who needs marijuana for her medical condition, we would be more 
receptive to their pleas if Issue 3 were exclusively about medicine. 
It isn't. The sale of weed for recreational use is how the investors 
are going to make their billions.

It is revealing that the Ohio Children's Hospital Association, the 
Ohio State Medical Association, the Ohio Hospital Association, the 
Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Nationwide Children's 
Hospital, Columbus Medical Association and the Ohio Chapter, American 
Academy of Pediatrics are opposed to State Issue 3.

They believe that opening the floodgates to recreational drug use is 
not in the best interest of the state of Ohio.

So, here's a suggestion for those who believe that legalization of 
marijuana for medicinal purposes is good public policy: Defeat State 
Issue 3 on Nov. 3, and then push for a constitutional amendment to 
permit medical marijuana.

It would be tightly regulated and overseen by the state, with only 
specially licensed physicians able to prescribe the drug.

It would be safe to say that many of the opponents of Issue 3 would 
become supporters of legalization for medicinal uses only.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom