Pubdate: Sat, 05 Dec 2015
Source: Tennessean, The (Nashville, TN)
Copyright: 2015 The Tennessean
Contact: http://www.tennessean.com/SITES/OPINION/submit-editor.shtml
Website: http://www.tennessean.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/447
Author: Paul Kuhn

RAMSEY WRONG ON POT

Re: "Haslam: Medical marijuana unlikely to pass soon," Dec. 1.

Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey believes "even the states that have done that 
(legalized marijuana) are having second thoughts." That's not the case.

Take Colorado, the first state to legalize. The initiative passed 
three years ago with 55 percent of the vote. The latest statewide 
poll shows support for legal cannabis has grown to 62 percent.

Coloradans see that crime is down, as are traffic fatalities and 
overdose deaths from prescription narcotics - a terrible problem in Tennessee.

Teen use has not increased. More than 16,000 jobs have been created 
in the legal cannabis industry.

Tens of thousands of otherwise law-abiding citizens have not been 
dragged into the criminal justice system.

And revenue from marijuana, some of which is earmarked for schools, 
now almost doubles the intake from alcohol. What's not to like?!

This coming November, as many as six more states will legalize 
cannabis. So it seems the states having second thoughts are those 
that still embrace "reefer madness" and arrest adults who prefer 
marijuana to alcohol.

Or worse, treat as dangerous criminals patients for whom medical 
cannabis is the only substance that works, a policy 75 percent of 
Tennesseans want to overturn.

I'm proud my State Senator Steve Dickerson, R-Nashville, is leading this fight.

Paul Kuhn, Nashville 37205
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom