1) It causes death. The most frequent types of deaths are suicide, murder, traffic fatalities and child abuse deaths. Just because toxic overdose is nearly impossible doesn’t mean that deaths don’t occur. BRAIN DAMAGE is quantitative too. A doctor from the Netherlands, Dr. Martien Kooyman, said chronic marijuana use is “more dangerous than chronic heroin use.”
2) Marijuana is NOT safer than Alcohol. The percentage of adults age 21 and over who use marijuana in the U.S. is roughly between 10% and 13%, vs. 65% who use alcohol. Around 10-15% of drinkers have a substance use disorder, vs. 30% of marijuana users who have Cannabis Use Disorder. If more people use marijuana to the extent they use alcohol, the damage will certainly be equal or surpass the damage caused by alcohol. In 2010, there were 450,000 emergency treatments from marijuana. The rate of marijuana use has quadrupled in the last 20 years. It is the second most common substance, after alcohol, involved in D.U.I. accidents. M.A.D.D. states that drugged driving deaths will soon surpass drunk driving deaths by 2020, if current rates continue. When a Lie Travels explains why marijuana is not safer than alcohol.
3) It is Addictive. Since denial is a characteristic of addiction, marijuana addicts often don’t know they’re addicted. The older studies which showed an addiction rate of 9% and 17% of those who began smoking pot before age 18 did not account for the high THC pot of today. Recent studies show that about 30% of current users in the U.S. have Cannabis Use Disorder.
4) Reefer Madness is not an invention. There is a subset of the population who are vulnerable to psychosis and schizophrenia from using marijuana. No one has figured out who it is and or what the genetic markers might be. Estimates vary, but those susceptible to pot psychosis range from 3% (with the marijuana of the 70’s) to 25% of the population (with the marijuana of today). With dabbing, edibles and other forms used today that rate may go up to 50%. How do we know who has a toxic allergy to bees? The truth is we don’t know until it happens.
5) Marijuana was not banned because of racism, or because of Big Pharma. Massachusetts banned it in 1911, long before Harvey Anslinger worked to ban marijuana around 1930. Anslinger is the pot industry’s excuse to accuse those who are opposed to legalization with racism. It is another hollow lie. California banned in 1913 and New York in 1914. Mexico banned it in 1920. Advocating for Big Marijuana and Big Pharma are not mutually exclusive, as Senator Cory Booker knows. He’s the Senate’s biggest advocate for pot and also takes more money from pharmaceutical companies than any other senate Democrats.
6) Criminalizing of marijuana possession is not routine or sought after by police. It is, however, or used in evidence for other crimes and as a plea bargaining chip. It would be highly unusual to be searched merely for a joint in the pocket or a backpack. New York City formerly had a “stop-and-frisk” policy to hold back crime, but it is no longer the policy. When California voted to legalize pot last year, no one was in jail for low level marijuana possession.
7) Taxation is not a reason for Marijuana Legalization. According to Andrew Freedman, former head of the Colorado marijuana program, says, “You do not legalize for taxation. It is a myth. You are not going to pave streets. You are not going to be able to pay teachers.” Indeed the tax on marijuana is about ½ of 1 percent of the entire state budget. Governor Hickenlooper is begging for an increase in the marijuana tax this year.
8) Black Markets Don’t go Away. Colorado Attorney General Cynthia Coffman said: “The criminals are still selling on the black market….we have plenty of cartel activity in Colorado (and) plenty of illegal activity that has not decreased at all.” Here is an in-depth article on The Failed Promise of Legal Pot. With legalization, both the black market and crime go up. The video, Dumpster Diving for Weed, illustrates why there’s both an increase in crime and increase in black market sales.
9) Marijuana is not a Social Justice issue. Since marijuana use is associated with school dropouts and downward mobility, minority groups have the most to lose with the legalization of marijuana. The evidence for dropping out and lower economic success from pot use are well established by studies, as well as anecdotal evidence. This is one way the pot advocates are really lying to the public and to the minorities. States that have legalized marijuana have the highest rates of homelessness.
10) Big Pharma is Not Driving Opposition to Marijuana Legalization. Senator Cory Booker takes more money from Big Pharma than any other Democratic Senator and votes in their favor. He also the Senate’s biggest advocate for “medical” marijuana. The strongest opposition to marijuana comes from the families whose loved ones have been harmed by it. Even if you think it’s a natural weed, you have to recognize that it’s highly modified, genetically-altered for higher hallucinogenic content, remarkably different from the product grown in the 1970s. George Washington grew hemp, not marijuana. Marijuana lobbyists love to confuse people by talking about hemp which only has trace amounts of THC. Hemp Oil is now legal in all states, but marijuana growers often sabotage the hemp farmers in some states. Marijuana growers propose legislation to stop hemp growers, because they fear that pollen from hemp plants will interfere with their crops. The marijuana growers would have tried to stop George Washington!