Pubdate: Mon, 30 Nov 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: Paul Boyer
Note: State Rep. Paul Boyer represents Legislative District 20, which 
includes Glendale and North Phoenix. He is the chair of the House 
Education Committee, a member of the House Health Committee and 
teaches 10th grade Humane Letters.

MARIJUANA IS THE ENEMY OF EDUCATION

The marijuana legalization movement in Arizona is relying on a 
specious study to make the case for recreational marijuana at the 
ballot next year. Their study says marijuana is 114 times safer than 
alcohol. Interestingly, it also says meth is ten times safer than 
alcohol, while heroin and cocaine are twice as safe. On that logic, 
why not make meth, heroin, and cocaine like alcohol, as well?

Meanwhile, serious peer reviewed research regarding the effects of 
marijuana has been shown to increase high school drop outs, lower IQ, 
induce memory loss, and in some cases cause paranoia and psychosis 
especially among adolescents.

For those of us concerned with the state of education in Arizona, 
this is extremely alarming. With considerable discussion about 
Arizona's education funding, along with high school and college 
graduation rates, we should be working to improve our state of 
education, not exacerbate an already bad situation by legalizing a 
substance detrimental to every outcome we want for our children. And 
make no mistake, legalizing this dangerous drug for adults will lead 
to more use by children, just as we see with alcohol.

States that have marijuana-friendly legislation have seen a dramatic 
spike in marijuana exposure to children. The Journal Clinical 
Pediatrics found an over 600 percent increase in the amount of 
marijuana exposure to children six and under in such states. That 
study suggests, "the rate of marijuana exposure among children is 
associated with the number of marijuana users." We don't need that 
here in Arizona.

Nor can the toxic health, educational, and behavioral impacts to 
children be overstated. A 2014 New England Journal of Medicine study 
lists the damaging health effects of just short term marijuana use, 
including: impaired short term memory and motor coordination, altered 
judgment with an increased risk of catching and transmitting sexually 
transmitted diseases, and paranoia and psychosis in high doses. And 
let's not forget that today's marijuana is much more potent than that 
of previous decades. We are not talking about Woodstock and commonly 
grown marijuana anymore, we are talking about a high potency drug.

Similarly, long term or heavy use effects of marijuana include: 
addiction, altered brain development, poor educational outcomes with 
an increased risk of dropping out of school, cognitive impairment 
with lower IQs among frequent users during adolescence, and 
diminished life satisfaction and achievement.

And who will have to address the consequences of legalization? All of 
us, including parents, teachers, and an already over-burdened 
healthcare system will have to pick up the pieces left in the wake of 
legalization's destruction.

Given all our debates about funding education in Arizona, one is left 
asking what the point of all this would be if we introduce a 
substance into our society that will nullify, if not reverse, 
everything we have worked so hard to improve when it comes to our 
children's education. Whatever plan we settle on with education, 
adding marijuana into the mix will render this debate, and its 
result, essentially pointless.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom