<div dir="ltr"><div>Bill:</div><div> </div><div>I work for the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare. Specifically, I serve as support for the Regional Advisory Committee on Substance Use Disorders. The RAC has been watching this issue closely.</div>
<div> </div><div>The Idaho Office of Drug Policy recently put out an editorial about this same issue. As counterpoint to your article from MPP I've pasted it below. I will add that I have seen studies indicating that marijuana use by teens is shown to decrease IQ by as much as 8 points for heavy users.</div>
<div> </div><div><a id="dnn_ctr1910_Document_grdDocuments_ctl05_ctlTitle" href="http://www.healthandwelfare.idaho.gov/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=ScH3x4trT6U%3d&tabid=262&mid=1910" target="_blank"><font color="#0066cc">Office of Drug Policy_Marijuana Editorial</font></a></div>
<div><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Times New Roman">
</font><p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt"><font size="3"><font color="#000000"><font face="Calibri">Compassion
at What Cost? </font></font></font></p><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Times New Roman">
</font><p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt"><font size="3"><font color="#000000"><font face="Calibri">-Elisha
Figueroa, Administrator, Idaho Office of Drug Policy</font></font></font></p><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Times New Roman">
</font><p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt"><span style="color:rgb(34,34,34)"><font size="3" face="Calibri"> </font></span></p><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Times New Roman">
</font><p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt"><span style="color:rgb(34,34,34)"><font size="3"><font face="Calibri">Idahoans by nature are compassionate folks. Caring for
friends and neighbors in times of need is second nature. But now pro-marijuana
groups are asking us to prove our compassion by legalizing an illicit drug and
calling it medicine. However, the legalization of “medical” marijuana comes
with much too high a cost.</font></font></span></p><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Times New Roman">
</font><p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt"><span style="color:rgb(34,34,34)"><font size="3" face="Calibri"> </font></span></p><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Times New Roman">
</font><p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt"><font size="3"><font color="#000000"><font face="Calibri">In the
United States, medications go through a scientifically rigorous process to
ensure they are safe, effective, and can be dosed and administered properly. In
fact, a form of synthetic THC has gone through this process and is available to
patients in the medication Marinol. Idaho’s Office of Drug Policy encourages
the use of this process to further research and identify components of the marijuana
plant that may be formulated into pure, safe medications, free from the harmful
chemicals contained in the raw marijuana plant. Ignoring that system and using
the raw marijuana plant puts individuals’ health and safety at risk. <span> </span></font></font></font></p><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Times New Roman">
</font><p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt"><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Calibri"> </font></p><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Times New Roman">
</font><p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt"><font face="Calibri"><span style="color:rgb(34,34,34)"><font size="3">For example, the Institute of Medicine has reported that
marijuana smoke contains 50-70% more cancer-causing agents than tobacco and additional
research has shown links to lung, prostate, cervical, bladder and testicular
germ cell cancers as well as chronic respiratory illnesses.</font><sup><font> </font></sup></span><font size="3"><font color="#000000"><span> </span>Yet we are asked to believe that smoking
tobacco will kill us, but marijuana smoke will heal us? In addition, the links
to mental illness and addiction documented in the research cannot be ignored.
This is not “reefer madness” as some proponents of legalization would suggest,
but multiple studies citing connections between the drug and depression,<span> </span>anxiety,<span>
</span>schizophrenia, and psychosis. </font></font></font></p><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Times New Roman">
</font><p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt"><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Calibri"> </font></p><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Times New Roman">
</font><p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt"><font size="3"><font color="#000000"><font face="Calibri">Trusted
medical organizations such as the American Medical Association, American Cancer
Society, National Multiple Sclerosis Society, and Institute of Medicine do not
support medical marijuana. And lest we forget, marijuana is classified by the
Drug Enforcement Administration as a Schedule I drug with no accepted medical
use and a high potential for abuse, a classification that was confirmed in January
of this year.</font></font></font></p><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Times New Roman">
</font><p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt"><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Calibri"> </font></p><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Times New Roman">
</font><p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt"><font size="3"><font color="#000000"><font face="Calibri">Additional
risks to our health from this drug come in the form of public safety issues. According
to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, marijuana is the most
prevalent drug detected in impaired drivers, fatally injured drivers, and crash
victims. In Montana, 43 percent of DUID cases involved marijuana. Further, the
Denver Police Department reported in June 2012 a 69% increase in overall crime
at medical marijuana dispensaries and a 75% increase in burglaries as compared
to June of 2011. </font></font></font></p><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Times New Roman">
</font><p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt"><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Calibri"> </font></p><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Times New Roman">
</font><p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt"><font size="3"><font color="#000000"><font face="Calibri">The negative
consequences medical marijuana states are experiencing as a result of these
programs is clear. Compassionate voters believed they were helping sick people
and have been surprised and dismayed by an industry that is overrun with fraud.
Colorado’s Department of Public Health reports that 90% of their “medical”
marijuana cardholders don’t have a terminal illness, but claim to need
marijuana for pain or muscle spasms. Even Reverend Scott Imler, the co-author
of California’s marijuana initiative, states, “Most of the dispensaries
operating in California are little more than dope dealers with storefronts.” <span> </span></font></font></font></p><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Times New Roman">
</font><p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt"><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Calibri"> </font></p><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Times New Roman">
</font><p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt"><font size="3"><font color="#000000"><font face="Calibri">In a recent editorial,
Mr. Taule pointed out that 18 states have legalized marijuana for medicinal
purposes and <span> </span>Washington and Colorado
have legalized marijuana for recreational use.<span>
</span>This is absolutely true. He also seemed to suggest that Idaho should do
the same. However, I’m reminded of a friend’s nine-year-old daughter who recently
asked him, “Dad just because other places have said marijuana is ok, doesn’t
make it right does it?” No, it does not make it right, and the health and
safety of Idahoans is too high a price to pay for “medical” marijuana.</font></font></font></p><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div></div><div class="gmail_extra"><br><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Fri, Apr 19, 2013 at 1:07 PM, Bill London <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:london@moscow.com" target="_blank">london@moscow.com</a>></span> wrote:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">
<div dir="ltr">
<div dir="ltr">
<div style="font-family:"Calibri";font-size:12pt">
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<div style="font-family:"Calibri";font-size:small;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;text-decoration:none;display:inline"><br></div>
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<td><img border="0" alt="alert_header_04.19.13.png" src="http://control.mpp.org/images/content/pagebuilder/alert_header_04.19.13.png" width="523" height="100"><br></td></tr>
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<p>Supporter,</p>
<p><a title="Watch the Video" href="http://control.mpp.org/site/R?i=ziBM7SNqFfq7ZUerATZu1g" target="_blank"><img border="0" hspace="10" alt="alert_body_getiton_v2.png" vspace="5" align="right" src="http://control.mpp.org/images/content/pagebuilder/alert_body_getiton_v2.png" width="324" height="221"></a>Tomorrow is April 20 (4/20), a date that
has become synonymous with marijuana and is celebrated at public
events and private get-togethers across the nation. Whether you
partake or pass, I hope you will use it as an opportunity to share
your feelings about marijuana with those close to you.
<br><br>Specifically, I encourage you to start conversations with
friends and/or family members who still think marijuana is too
dangerous to be legal for adults. Help them understand that it is
actually far less harmful than alcohol, and explain why you
support ending prohibition. It’s this type of personal appeal that
will get people to listen to the facts and reconsider their
current beliefs.<br><br><a title="Watch the Video" href="http://control.mpp.org/site/R?i=jaYI1AsgSSvdRHrW3c3Jug" target="_blank"><strong>MPP
just released a short and entertaining online video, titled “Let’s
Get It On,” to inspire people to initiate the marijuana
conversation. Please take a moment to check it out – it’s worth it
– and then share it with anyone who supports making marijuana
legal. You will also have the option of sending an editable
pre-written email to those you know who could still use some
enlightenment. </strong></a><br><br>Winning over the hearts and
minds of the people you know best is the quickest and easiest way
to build support for reform. So please <a title="Watch the Video" href="http://control.mpp.org/site/R?i=plldnsOQYvkvTRwHlVTv2A" target="_blank"><strong>watch
the “Let’s Get It On” video today</strong></a>, share it widely,
and help begin the conversations that will bring marijuana
prohibition to an end.</p>
<p>Thanks,</p>
<p><img border="0" alt="Mason's signature" src="http://control.mpp.org/images/content/pagebuilder/TvertSig.jpg" width="162" height="57"></p>
<p><img border="0" hspace="5" alt="Mason Tvert Signature Image" vspace="5" align="left" src="http://control.mpp.org/images/content/pagebuilder/tvert.png" width="100" height="93"><br>Mason Tvert<br>Director of
Communications<br>Marijuana Policy Project<br>Denver,
CO</p></td></tr></tbody></table><img src="http://control.mpp.org/site/PixelServer?j=vjxmnXq-9-sgPIPejlxHog" width="1" height="1">
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