{"id":10080,"date":"2014-10-09T17:20:34","date_gmt":"2014-10-09T17:20:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/drugprevent.org.uk\/ppp\/?p=10080"},"modified":"2017-10-18T11:42:31","modified_gmt":"2017-10-18T11:42:31","slug":"14-reasons-against-marijuana-legalization","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/drugprevent.org.uk\/ppp\/2014\/10\/14-reasons-against-marijuana-legalization\/","title":{"rendered":"14 Reasons Against Marijuana Legalization"},"content":{"rendered":"<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\">\u00a0ALASKA Association of Chiefs of Police, Inc.<\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\"><b>1.<\/b><b>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/b>\u00a0<b>Legalization will place a significant financial burden on local law enforcement agencies due to the need for special training that will be necessary to identify marijuana users who are driving impaired and to create or enhance youth education programs<\/b><b>.<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\"><a name=\"_ednref1\"><\/a> \u00a0It is estimated that Alaskan police departments will have combined costs of nearly $6,000,000 to respond to immediate needs which will arise from legalization of marijuana. These costs include necessary training of police officers to establish drug impairment based on symptomology because there are no roadside tools like breathalyzers for testing marijuana usage, and for increasing the number of School Resource Officers (SROs) in communities to educate teens about the dangers of drug use. These are expenditures that have been tallied by mostly municipal police departments, therefore the bulk of these costs will likely need to be borne by taxpayers in the impacted communities. Additional costs may exist for the Department of Public Safety.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\"><a name=\"_ednref2\"><\/a> After medicinal marijuana became easy to get in Colorado, seizures of smuggled marijuana quadrupled in roughly 4 years as \u201clegal\u201d marijuana was diverted to other markets\u00a0. No comparable studies have been found addressing this problem in Alaska, but if legalization in this\u00a0state results in a similar increase in diversion trafficking,\u00a0<b>more than 75% of Alaskan police feel they will not have sufficient local resources to combat the potential impact in their community.<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\"><a name=\"_ednref4\"><\/a> In 2011, the national average for youth aged 12 to 17 years old and considered \u201ccurrent\u201d marijuana users was 7.64 percent which was the highest average since 1981. The most recent figures found for Alaska teens dates from 2009 and puts the number of students claiming to have used marijuana within the last 30 days at 22.7% and the number who have used the drug\u00a0\u00a0during their lifetime at 44.5%\u00a0. Only 16 Alaskan chiefs report currently having SROs in their communities. If legalization occurs in Alaska,\u00a0<b>64% of police chiefs felt it would be necessary to increase the number of school resource and DARE officers doing youth outreach in their communities to protect against an increase in local teen drug usage.<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\"><a name=\"_ednref6\"><\/a> \u00a0In 2006, Colorado drivers testing positive for marijuana were involved in 28 percent of fatal vehicle crashes involving drugs. By 2011 that number had increased to 56 percent. These statistics clearly indicate the importance of traffic enforcement, but identification of impairment due to marijuana requires special skills.\u00a0No figures seem to exist which can illuminate the degree of the problem in Alaska\u00a0\u00a0but the consistency of data from other states would support the assumption that the Alaskan experience would be comparable.\u00a0<b>Ninety seven percent of Alaskan chiefs responding to the AACOP survey felt their officers needed additional Advanced Roadside Impaired Driving Enforcement (ARIDE) or<\/b>\u00a0<b>Drug Recognition Expert (DRE) training to help them properly identify drivers impaired by marijuana<\/b>. Of more than 950 police officers in the state, less than 100 are estimated to have ARIDE training, and less than 20 now have DRE training.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff; font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;\"><b>Less than 6% of the AACOP survey respondents felt their local taxpayers would support a sufficient increase in their police budget to meet the anticipated financial implications of marijuana legalization.<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\"><b>Seventy five percent of respondents felt their agency would require financial assistance to meet training needs that will be created by legalization.<\/b>\u00a0Providing this training for all police officers will not only be costly to local taxpayers and also logistically\u00a0difficult.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\"><a name=\"_ednref10\"><\/a> \u00b7Unlike alcohol, for which impairment can be reasonably measured using a breathalyzer (and confirmed with a blood alcohol content measurement), valid detection for cannabis is time-consuming, and blood tests cannot definitively determine an approximate degree of impairment. The lack of suitable roadside tests and agreed-upon intoxication levels will make enforcement of impaired driving more difficult.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\"><a name=\"_ednref11\"><\/a> The necessity of drawing blood for toxicology testing creates another potential problem for police as it will necessitate training officers as phlebotomists, contracting with an independent phlebotomist to be on call, or taking all drivers suspected of impaired driving due to drugs (DUID) to the nearest hospital or clinic to have blood drawn..\u00a0In this \u201cpost-CSI\u201d era, juries are likely to expect effective prosecution of drug impairment will require a toxicology evaluation combined with the testimony of a trained Drug Recognition Expert.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\"><b>2.<\/b><b>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/b>\u00a0<b>Stoned driving and other dangers would be increased, while the difficulty of proving impairment from marijuana may impact prosecutions, and could make civil settlements more difficult in the case of personal injury lawsuits.<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\">Drugged driving impairs one\u2019s motor skills, reaction time, and judgment and\u00a0\u00a0is a public health concern because it puts not only the driver at risk, but also passengers and others who share the road.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\"><a name=\"_ednref13\"><\/a> In other states where there has been an enormous increase in \u201cmedical\u201d marijuana cardholders, DUI arrests involving marijuana have skyrocketed, as have traffic fatalities where marijuana was found in the system of one of the drivers.\u00a0Because toxicology results are not universally reported for Alaskan crashes no definitive data exists which would demonstrate a different result here.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff; font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;\">In 2011 there were 9.4 million persons aged 12 and older who reported driving under the influence of illicit drugs during the past year. The rate was highest among young adults aged 18 to 25.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff; font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;\">Drugs that may affect driving were detected in one of every seven weekend night time drivers in California during the summer of 2012. In the first California state wide roadside survey of alcohol and drug use by drivers, 14 percent of drivers tested positive for drugs, 7.4 percent of drivers tested positive for alcohol, and just as many as tested positive for marijuana as alcohol.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff; font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;\">In a study of seriously injured drivers admitted to a Maryland Level-1 shock-trauma center, 65.7 percent were found to have positive toxicology results for alcohol and\/or drugs. Almost 51 percent of the total tested positive for illegal drugs. A total of 26.9 percent of the drivers tested positive for marijuana.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\">The\u00a0<b>National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML)<\/b>\u00a0has called for a science-based educational campaign targeting drugged driving behavior. In a January 2008 report titled,\u00a0<i>Cannabis and Driving<\/i>, it is noted that motorists should be discouraged from driving if they have recently smoked cannabis and\u00a0<b>should never operate a motor vehicle after having consumed both marijuana and alcohol<\/b>.\u00a0<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">The report also calls for the development of roadside, cannabis-sensitive technology to better assist law enforcement in identifying drivers who may be under the influence of pot<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff; font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;\">In a 2007 National Roadside Survey of alcohol and drug use by drivers, a random sample of weekend nighttime drivers across the United States found that 16.3 percent of the drivers tested positive for drugs, compared to 2.2 percent of drivers with blood alcohol concentrations at or above the legal limit. Drugs were present more than 7 times as frequently as alcohol.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\"><a name=\"_ednref19\"><\/a> Low doses of THC moderately impairs cognitive and psychomotor tasks associated with driving, while\u00a0<b>severe driving impairment is observed with high doses, chronic use and in combination with low doses of alcohol<\/b>. The more difficult and unpredictable the task, the more likely marijuana will impair performance.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\"><b>3.<\/b><b>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/b>\u00a0<b>Persons under the influence of marijuana will present a risk on job-sites. If marijuana is legalized, aggressive drug screening and periodic testing of medical personnel, industrial workers, transportation workers. and others will be necessary to insure safety of the public and other workers.<\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff; font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;\">According to the American Council for Drug Education in New York, employees who abuse drugs are 10 times more likely to miss work, 3.6 times more likely to be involved in on-the-job incidents (and 5 times more likely to injure themselves or another worker in the process) and 5 times more likely to file a workers\u2019 compensation claim. They also are said to be 33 percent less productive and responsible for potentially tripling health care costs.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff; font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;\">The\u00a0risk that your surgeon, pilot, bus driver, or coworker has used marijuana will increase if the drug is decriminalized.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff; font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;\">A Rand study suggests drug use leads to about a 25-percent increase in men\u2019s risk of having a workplace injury.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff; font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;\">\u00a0In addition to the acute effects of alcohol and other drug use on judgment and psychomotor skills, substance use that occurs hours before a worker begins his or her shift can cause spillover effects, such as fatigue and hangovers, that may independently increase injury risk. Studies have shown that hangovers affect cognitive skills, including tasks related to driving or piloting aircraft, which may therefore influence the risk of injury in a manner similar to the influences of acute alcohol intoxication.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\"><a name=\"_ednref23\"><\/a> Persons more likely to misuse alcohol and other substances may be more likely to be engaged in other behaviors that increase the risk of injury, a concept termed\u00a0<i>deviance proneness<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\"><b>4.<\/b><b>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/b>\u00a0<b>Marijuana legalization will usher in Drug Commercialization<\/b>\u00a0<b>increasing the chances of the drug falling into the hands of kids.<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff; font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;\">Already, private holding groups and financiers have raised millions of start-up dollars to promote businesses that will sell marijuana and marijuana-related merchandise.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\"><a name=\"_ednref24\"><\/a> Cannabis food and candy is being marketed to children and are already responsible for a growing number of marijuana-related ER visits.\u00a0\u00a0Edibles with names such as \u201cRing Pots\u201d and \u201cPot Tarts\u201d are inspired by common children\u2019s candy and dessert products such as \u201cRing Pops\u201d and \u201cPop Tarts.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff; font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;\">Several, profitable vending machines containing products such as marijuana brownies are emerging throughout the country.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\"><a name=\"_ednref26\"><\/a> The former head of Strategy for Microsoft has said that he wants to \u201cmint more millionaires than Microsoft\u201d with marijuana and that he wants to create the \u201cStarbucks of marijuana.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\"><b>5.<\/b><b>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/b>\u00a0<b>Marijuana use will increase under legalization<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\"><b>Because they are accessible and available, our legal drugs are used far more than our illegal ones.<\/b>\u00a0According to recent surveys, alcohol is used by 52% of Americans and tobacco is used by 27% of Americans. Marijuana is used by 8% of Americans.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\">When\u00a0RAND researchers analyzed California&#8217;s 2010 effort to legalize marijuana, they concluded that the price of the drug could plummet and therefore marijuana consumption could increase.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\"><a name=\"_ednref29\"><\/a> \u00a0The 2011 Monitoring the Future Survey noted that daily or near daily marijuana use, defined as use on 20 or more occasions in the past 30 days rose significantly in the 8th, 10th and 12<sup>th<\/sup>\u00a0grades in 2010 and rose slightly higher again in 2011. This translates to one in every 15 high school seniors smoking pot on a daily or near daily basis, the highest rates that has been seen in thirty years \u2013 since 1981.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\"><b>6.<\/b><b>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/b>\u00a0<b>Marijuana is especially harmful to kids and adolescents.<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff; font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;\">Marijuana use that begins in adolescence increases the risk they will become addicted to the drug. The risk of addiction goes from about 1 in 11 overall to 1 in 6 for those who start using in their teens, and even higher among daily smokers.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\"><a name=\"_ednref31\"><\/a><a name=\"_ednref32\"><\/a> Marijuana contributes to psychosis and schizophrenia\u00a0, addiction for 1 in 6 kids who ever use it once\u00a0, and it reduces IQ among those who started smoking before age 18.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\"><a name=\"_ednref34\"><\/a> Regular or daily use of marijuana may be robbing many young people of their potential to achieve and excel. THC, a key ingredient in marijuana, alters the ability of the brain\u2019s hippocampus to communicate effectively with other brain regions. In addition, recent research has shown that marijuana use that begins during adolescence can lower IQ and impair other measures of mental function in adulthood.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\"><b>7.<\/b><b>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/b>\u00a0<b>Today\u2019s marijuana is NOT your Woodstock weed.<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\"><a name=\"_ednref35\"><\/a> \u00a0In the 1960s and \u201870s, THC levels of\u00a0<b>the marijuana smoked by baby boomers averaged around 1%,<\/b>\u00a0increasing to just under 4% in 1983, and almost tripling in the subsequent 30 years to around\u00a0<b>11% in 2011<\/b>.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\"><b>8.<\/b><b>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/b>\u00a0<b>Marijuana legalization will increase public costs.<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\"><a name=\"_ednref36\"><\/a> <b>For every $1 in alcohol and tobacco tax revenues, society loses $10 in social costs, from accidents to health damage<\/b><b>\u00a0<\/b>.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff; font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;\">In addition to the costs to law enforcement for training and prevention, the anticipated increase in impaired driving arrests would result in additional court costs including prosecution and public defenders. Even in places where these costs are not borne directly by taxpayers, they will divert funds which might otherwise be used to support other civic needs.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\"><b>9.<\/b><b>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/b>\u00a0<b>People are not in prison for small time marijuana use.<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\"><a name=\"_ednref37\"><\/a> Few people are currently in prison for marijuana possession (in fact, only 0.1% of prisoners with no prior offenses\u00a0) and\u00a0<b>current alcohol arrest rates are over three times higher than marijuana arrest rates.<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\">Statistics on state-level prisoners around the United States reveal that just\u00a0<b>0.3% of all state inmates were behind bars for marijuana possession only<\/b>\u00a0(with many of those pleading down from more serious crimes).<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\">99.8% of federal prisoners sentenced for drug offenses were incarcerated for drug <b>trafficking<\/b>.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\">The risk of arrest for each joint smoked is estimated at\u00a0<b>1 in 12,000.<\/b><span style=\"line-height: 1.5em;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\"><a name=\"_ednref42\"><\/a> On the most recent prison census date only 4 people were incarcerated in Alaska prisons due to conviction on 6<sup>th<\/sup>\u00a0degree Misconduct Involving Controlled Substance (MICS) which would include possession of less than 1 oz. of marijuana (the amount legalized by the proposed legislation). It is undetermined if these MICS-6 offenders had concurrent convictions for other offenses as well, but it is possible that at least some do.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\"><b>10.<\/b>\u00a0<b>\u00a0Drug cartels and the black market will continue to function under legalization.<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\">A recent RAND report showed that\u00a0<b>Mexican drug trafficking groups only received a minority of their revenue (15-25%) from marijuana<\/b>. For them, the big money is found in illegal trade such as human trafficking, kidnapping, extortion, piracy, and other illicit drugs.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff; font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;\">We know from past experience with other businesses that illegal actors have a lot to do with so called legal industries. These cartels will only be helped with legalization and more addiction, not hurt.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff; font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;\"><b>Dealers aren\u2019t likely to give up their lucrative income. Legalization of marijuana will lead entrepreneur dealers and cartels to focus their energies on selling harder drugs.<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\"><b>11.<\/b>\u00a0<b>\u00a0The foreign experience is not promising. Neither Portugal nor Holland provides any successful example of legalization<\/b>.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff; font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;\">Offenses related to drug use or possession for use continued to comprise the majority of drug law offenses in 2010; between 2005 and 2010, there was an estimated 19 percent increase in the number of offenses related to drug use in Europe.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\"><a name=\"_ednref45\"><\/a> Independent research reveals that in the Netherlands, where marijuana was commercialized and sold openly at \u201ccoffee shops,\u201d\u00a0<b>marijuana use among young adults increased almost 300%.<\/b>\u00a0Now, the Dutch are retreated from their loose policies.\u00a0About 70 percent of Dutch towns have a zero-tolerance policy toward cannabis cafes.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\"><b>There are signs that tolerance for marijuana in the Netherlands is receding<\/b>. They have recently closed hundreds of coffee shops, and today Dutch citizens have a higher likelihood of being admitted to treatment than nearly all other countries in Europe.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\">In Portugal, use levels are mixed, and despite reports to the contrary,\u00a0<b>they have<\/b><b>\u00a0<\/b><i><b>not<\/b><\/i><b>legalized drugs<\/b>. In 2001, Portugal started to refer drug users to three person \u201cpanels of social workers\u201d that recommend treatment or another course of action. As the European Monitoring Center\u2019s findings concluded: \u201cthe country does not show specific developments in its drug situation that would clearly distinguish it from other European countries that have a different policy.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\"><b>12.<\/b>\u00a0<b>\u00a0\u00a0Marijuana is believed by some to have medicinal properties, but we shouldn\u2019t smoke the plant in order to derive those benefits, just like we do not smoke opium to get the benefits of morphine<\/b>.\u00a0<b>More widespread use would increase the dangers of secondhand smoke damage to nonsmokers\u00a0<\/b><b>\u00a0<\/b><b>and children in the homes of users.<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\">A 1999\u00a0The Institute of Medicine (IOM<b>)<\/b>\u00a0study explained that \u201csmoked marijuana . . . is a crude THC delivery system that also delivers harmful substances.\u201d In addition, \u201cplants contain a variable mixture of biologically active compounds and cannot be expected to provide a precisely defined drug effect.\u201d Therefore, the study concluded that \u201cthere is little future in smoked marijuana as a medically approved medication.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\">The principal\u00a0IOM\u00a0investigators explicitly stated that using smoked marijuana in clinical trials \u201cshould not be designed to develop it as a licensed drug, but should be a stepping stone to the development of new, safe delivery systems of cannabinoids.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\">In states with medical marijuana laws, the average user is a\u00a0<b>male in his 30s with no terminal illness and a history of drug abuse.<\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\"><b>Less than 2% of users have cancer or AIDS<\/b>.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\">Residents of states with medical marijuana laws generally have abuse and dependence rates almost <b>twice as high as states with no such laws<\/b>.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff; font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;\">\u00b7Research should be conducted to produce pharmacy-attainable, non-smoked medications based on marijuana.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\"><b>13.<\/b>\u00a0<b>\u00a0\u00a0<\/b><b>The Alaska Initiative is premature. The experience of Colorado and Washington is not promising. It is better to wait to see if predictions of both sides are borne out by hard data rather than rely on speculation and the promise that benefit will outweigh harm<\/b><b>.<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff; font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;\">Two independent reports released in August 2013 document how Colorado\u2019s supposedly regulated system is not well regulated at all.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff; font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;\">Teen use has increased in the past five years. Currently, the marijuana use rate among Colorado teens is 50% above the national average.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff; font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;\">Drug-related referrals for high school students testing positive for marijuana has increased.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff; font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;\">Medical marijuana is easily diverted to youth.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff; font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;\">While the total number of car crashes in Colorado declined from 2007 to 2011, the number of fatal car crashes with drivers testing positive for marijuana rose sharply.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff; font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\"><b>14.<\/b>\u00a0<b>\u00a0\u00a0<\/b><b>Marijuana is often used as a stepping-stone drug, leading to heroin, cocaine, or other harder drugs.<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\"><a name=\"_ednref59\"><\/a> Teens who experiment with marijuana may be making themselves more vulnerable to heroin addiction later in life, if the findings from experiments with rats are any indication. Cannabis has very long-term, enduring effects on the brain..<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff; font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;\">Marijuana is a frequent precursor to the use of more dangerous drugs and signals a significantly enhanced likelihood of drug problems in adult life. The Journal of the American Medical Association reported, based on a study of 300 sets of twins, \u201cthat marijuana-using twins were four times more likely than their siblings to use cocaine and crack cocaine, and five times more likely to use hallucinogens such as LSD.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\">Long-term studies on patterns of drug usage among young people show that very few of them use other drugs without first starting with marijuana. For example, one study found that among adults (age 26 and older) who had used cocaine, 62 percent had initiated marijuana use before age 15. By contrast, less than one percent of adults who never tried marijuana went on to use cocaine.<span style=\"line-height: 1.5em;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\">Columbia University\u2019s National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) reports that teens who used marijuana at least once in the last month are 13 times likelier than other teens to use another drug like cocaine, heroin, or methamphetamine and almost 26 times likelier than those teens who have never used marijuana to use\u00a0\u00a0another drug.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\">An estimated 3.1 million persons aged 12 or older \u2013 an average of approximately 8,400 per day &#8211; used a drug other than alcohol for the first time in the past year according to the 2011 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. More than two-thirds (68 percent) of these new users reported that marijuana was the first drug they tried.<span style=\"line-height: 1.5em;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff; font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;\">Nearly one in ten high school students (9 percent) report using marijuana 20 times or more in the past month according to the findings of the 2011 Partnership Attitude Tracking Survey.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff; font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;\">Teens past month heavy marijuana users are significantly more likely than teens that have not used marijuana in the past to: use cocaine\/crack (30 times more likely); use Ecstasy (20 times more likely); abuse prescription pain relievers (15 times more likely): and abuse over the counter medications (14 times more likely). This clearly denotes that teens that use marijuana regularly are using other substances at a much higher rate than teens who do not smoke marijuana, or smoke less often.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff; font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff; font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;\"><b>ENDNOTES<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\"><a name=\"_edn1\"><\/a> AACOP survey of\u00a0\u00a0Alaskan police chiefs conducted April 28-May 5, 2014<\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\"><a name=\"_edn2\"><\/a> <i>The Legalization of Marijuana in Colorado: The Impact Vol. 1\/August 2013<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\"><a name=\"_edn3\"><\/a> AACOP survey of\u00a0\u00a0Alaskan police chiefs conducted April 28-May 5, 2014<\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\"><a name=\"_edn4\"><\/a> MARIJUANA USE BY YOUNG PEOPLE: The Impact of State Medical Marijuana Laws\u00a0By Karen O\u2019Keefe, Esq, .<i>Director of State Policies, Marijuana Policy Project<\/i>\u00a0and Mitch Earleywine, Ph.D.,\u00a0<i>Professor of Psychology University at Albany, State University of New York,<\/i>\u00a0Updated: June 2011<\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\"><a name=\"_edn5\"><\/a> AACOP survey of\u00a0\u00a0Alaskan police chiefs conducted April 28-May 5, 2014<\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\"><a name=\"_edn6\"><\/a> <i>The Legalization of Marijuana in Colorado: The Impact Vol. 1\/August 2013<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\"><a name=\"_edn7\"><\/a> AACOP survey of\u00a0\u00a0Alaskan police chiefs conducted April 28-May 5, 2014<\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\"><a name=\"_edn8\"><\/a> AACOP survey of\u00a0\u00a0Alaskan police chiefs conducted April 28-May 5, 2014<\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\"><a name=\"_edn9\"><\/a> AACOP survey of\u00a0\u00a0Alaskan police chiefs conducted April 28-May 5, 2014<\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\"><a name=\"_edn10\"><\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Cannabis_drug_testing\">http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Cannabis_drug_testing<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\"><a name=\"_edn11\"><\/a> Interview with AK Crime lab director O. Dym, May 27,2014<\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\"><a name=\"_edn12\"><\/a> NIDA Info Facts: Drugged Driving, September 10, 2009, page 1.\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/drugabuse.gov\/Infofacts\/driving.html\">http:\/\/drugabuse.gov\/Infofacts\/driving.html<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\"><a name=\"_edn13\"><\/a> Volz, Matt. \u201cDrug overdose: Medical marijuana facing a backlash.\u201d\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.msnbc.msn.com\/id\/37282436\">http:\/\/www.msnbc.msn.com\/id\/37282436<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\"><a name=\"_edn14\"><\/a> \u00a0<i>Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Office of<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\"><i>Applied Studies<\/i>. Results from the 2011 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: Summary of National Findings.<\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff; font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;\">September 2012. P.2<\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\"><a name=\"_edn15\"><\/a> \u201cCalifornia Roadside Survey Finds Twice as Many Weekend Nighttime Drivers Test Positive for Other Drugs as for Alcohol: Marijuana as Likely as Alcohol.\u201d CESARFAX, Col. 21, Issue 48, December 3, 2012.<\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.cesar.umd.edu\/cesar\/vol21\/21-48.pdf\">www.cesar.umd.edu\/cesar\/vol21\/21-48.pdf<\/a>\u00a0.<\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\"><a name=\"_edn16\"><\/a> DuPont, Robert. \u201cNational Survey Confirms that Drugged Driving is Significantly More Widespread than Drunk<\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\">Driving.\u201d Commentary, Institute for Behavior and Health, July 17, 2009. page 1.\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www..ibhinc.org\/\">http:\/\/www..ibhinc.org<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\"><a name=\"_edn17\"><\/a> \u201cCannabis and Driving: A Scientific and Rational Review.\u201d Armentano, Paul.\u00a0<i>NORML\/NORML Foundation<\/i>. January 10, 2008.<a href=\"http:\/\/normal.org\/index.cfm?Group_ID=7475\">http:\/\/normal.org\/index.cfm?Group_ID=7475<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0for article and\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/normal.org\/index.cfm?Group_ID=7459\">http:\/\/normal.org\/index.cfm?Group_ID=7459<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0for the full report.<\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\"><a name=\"_edn18\"><\/a> DuPont, Robert. \u201cNational Survey Confirms that Drugged Driving is Significantly More Widespread than Drunk<\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\">Driving.\u201d Commentary, Institute for Behavior and Health, July 17, 2009. page 1.\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.ibhinc.org\/\">http:\/\/www.ibhinc.org<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\"><a name=\"_edn19\"><\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhtsa.gov\/people\/injury\/research\/job185drugs\/cannabis.htm\">http:\/\/www.nhtsa.gov\/people\/injury\/research\/job185drugs\/cannabis.htm<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\"><a name=\"_edn20\"><\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.safetyandhealthmagazine.com\/articles\/6044\">http:\/\/www.safetyandhealthmagazine.com\/articles\/6044<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\"><a name=\"_edn21\"><\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.rand.org\/content\/dam\/rand\/pubs\/occasional_papers\/2009\/RAND_OP247.pdf\">http:\/\/www.rand.org\/content\/dam\/rand\/pubs\/occasional_papers\/2009\/RAND_OP247.pdf<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\"><a name=\"_edn22\"><\/a> \u00a0Lemon, 1993; Yesavage and Leirer, 1986<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\"><a name=\"_edn23\"><\/a> Dawson, 1994; Lehman et al., 1995; Newcomb, 1994; Spicer, Miller, and Smith, 2003.<\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\"><a name=\"_edn24\"><\/a> Alface, I. (2013, May 27). Children Poisoned by Candy-looking Marijuana Products.\u00a0<i>Nature World News.<\/i>\u00a0Retrieved<\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\">from\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/owl.english.purdue.edu\/owl\/resource\/560\/10\">https:\/\/owl.english.purdue.edu\/owl\/resource\/560\/10<\/a>\u00a0; Jaslow, R. (2013, 28 May). Laxer marijuana laws linked to<\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\">increase in kids\u2019 accidental poisonings\u00a0<i>CBS News.<\/i>\u00a0Retrieved\u00a0from\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.cbsnews.com\/8301-204_162-\">http:\/\/www.cbsnews.com\/8301-204_162-<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">57586408\/laxer-marijuana-laws-linked-to-increase-in-kids-accidental-poisonings\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\"><a name=\"_edn25\"><\/a> Gruley, B. (2013, May 9). Medbox: Dawn of the Marijuana Vending Machine.\u00a0<i>Bloomberg Businessweek<\/i>. Retrieved<\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\">from\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.businessweek.com\/articles\/2013-05-09\/medbox-dawn-of-the-marijuana-vending-machine\">http:\/\/www.businessweek.com\/articles\/2013-05-09\/medbox-dawn-of-the-marijuana-vending-machine<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\"><a name=\"_edn26\"><\/a> Ex-Microsoft exec plans \u2018Starbucks\u2019 of marijuana. (2013, May 31).\u00a0<i>United Press International.<\/i>\u00a0Retrieved from<\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.upi.com\/Top_News\/US\/2013\/05\/31\/VIDEO-Ex-Microsoft-exec-plans-Starbucks-of-marijuana\/UPI-41161369985400\">http:\/\/www.upi.com\/Top_News\/US\/2013\/05\/31\/VIDEO-Ex-Microsoft-exec-plans-Starbucks-of-marijuana\/UPI-41161369985400<\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\"><a name=\"_edn27\"><\/a> NSDUH, Summary of National Findings, 2012. Retrieved from<\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.samhsa.gov\/data\/NSDUH\/2012SummNatFindDetTables\/NationalFindings\/NSDUHresults2012.pdf\">http:\/\/www.samhsa.gov\/data\/NSDUH\/2012SummNatFindDetTables\/NationalFindings\/NSDUHresults2012.pdf<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\"><a name=\"_edn28\"><\/a> Kilmer, B., Caulkins, J.P., Pacula, R.L., MacCoun, R.J., &amp; Reuter, P.H. Altered State? Assessing How Marijuana<\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff; font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;\">Legalization in California Could Influence Marijuana Consumption and Public Budgets. Santa Monica, CA: RAND<\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\">Corporation, 2010.\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.rand.org\/pubs\/occasional_papers\/OP315\">http:\/\/www.rand.org\/pubs\/occasional_papers\/OP315<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\"><a name=\"_edn29\"><\/a> \u201cMarijuana use continues to rise among U.S. teens, while alcohol use hits historic lows.\u201d University of Michigan<\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff; font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;\">Press Release, December 14, 2011. 2-3.<\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\"><a name=\"_edn30\"><\/a> \u201cRegular marijuana use by teens continues to be a concern.\u201d National Institute of Drug Abuse, Press Release, December 19, 2012. P.2<\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\"><a name=\"_edn31\"><\/a> Andr\u00e9asson S, et al. (1987). Cannabis and Schizophrenia: A longitudinal study of Swedish conscripts.\u00a0<i>Lancet,<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\"><i>2<\/i>(8574).<\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\"><a name=\"_edn32\"><\/a> Anthony, J.C., Warner, L.A., &amp; Kessler, R.C. (1994). Comparative epidemiology of dependence on tobacco, alcohol,<\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\">controlled substances, and inhalants: Basic findings from the National Comorbidity Survey.\u00a0<i>Experiential and Clinical<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff; font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;\"><i>Psychopharmacology, 2.<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\"><a name=\"_edn33\"><\/a> Meier, M.H. (2012). Persistent cannabis users show neuropsychological decline from childhood to midlife.\u00a0<i>Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences<\/i>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\"><a name=\"_edn34\"><\/a> \u201cRegular marijuana use by teens continues to be a concern.\u201d National Institute of Drug Abuse, Press Release, December 19, 2012. P.2<\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\"><a name=\"_edn35\"><\/a> Mehmedic, Z., et al. (2010). Potency Trends of D9-THC and Other Cannabinoids in Confiscated Cannabis Preparations from 1993 to 2008.\u00a0<i>The Journal of Forensic Sciences, 55<\/i>(5).<\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\"><a name=\"_edn36\"><\/a> Updating estimates of the economic costs of alcohol abuse in the United States: Estimates, update methods, and data.<\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff; font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;\">Report prepared for the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. Retrieved from<\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/pubs.niaaa.nih.gov\/publications\/economic-2000\">http:\/\/pubs.niaaa.nih.gov\/publications\/economic-2000<\/a>; Urban Institute and Brookings Institution (2012, October 15).<\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\">State and local alcoholic beverage tax revenue, selected years 1977-2010.\u00a0<i>Tax Policy Center.<\/i>\u00a0Retrieved from<\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.taxpolicycenter.org\/taxfacts\/displayafact.cfm?Docid=399\">http:\/\/www.taxpolicycenter.org\/taxfacts\/displayafact.cfm?Docid=399<\/a>; Saul, S. (2008, August 30). Government gets<\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\">hooked on tobacco tax billions.\u00a0<i>The New York Times.<\/i>\u00a0Retrieved from<\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2008\/08\/31\/weekinreview\/31saul.html?em&amp;_r=0\">http:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2008\/08\/31\/weekinreview\/31saul.html?em&amp;_r=0<\/a>; for Federal estimates, see Urban Institute<\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\">and Brookings Institution (2012, October 15). State and local tobacco tax revenue, selected years 1977-2010.\u00a0<i>Tax<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\"><i>Policy Center.<\/i>\u00a0Retrieved from\u00a0\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.taxpolicycenter.org\/taxfacts\/displayafact.cfm?Docid=403\">http:\/\/www.taxpolicycenter.org\/taxfacts\/displayafact.cfm?Docid=403<\/a>; Campaign for<\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff; font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;\">Tobacco-Free Kids (n.d.). Toll of tobacco in the United States of America. Retrieved from<\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.tobaccofreekids.org\/research\/factsh\">http:\/\/www.tobaccofreekids.org\/research\/factsh<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\"><a name=\"_edn37\"><\/a> Bureau of Justice Statistics. (2004). Data collection: Survey of inmates in state correctional facilities (SISCF). Retrieved from\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.bjs.gov\/index.cfm?ty=dcdetail&amp;iid=275\">http:\/\/www.bjs.gov\/index.cfm?ty=dcdetail&amp;iid=275<\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\"><a name=\"_edn38\"><\/a> Federal Bureau of Investigation. (2011). Persons arrested. Retrieved from\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.fbi.gov\/aboutus\/cjis\/ucr\/crime-in-the-u.s\/2011\/crime-in-the-u.s.-2011\/persons-arrested\">http:\/\/www.fbi.gov\/aboutus\/cjis\/ucr\/crime-in-the-u.s\/2011\/crime-in-the-u.s.-2011\/persons-arrested<\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\"><a name=\"_edn39\"><\/a> Bureau of Justice Statistics. (2004). Data collection: Survey of inmates in state correctional facilities (SISCF). Retrieved from\u00a0<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">http:\/\/<\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.bjs.gov\/index.cfm?ty=dcdetail&amp;iid=275\">www.bjs.gov\/index.cfm?ty=dcdetail&amp;iid=275<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\"><a name=\"_edn40\"><\/a> Bureau of Justice Statistics. (2004). Data collection: Survey of inmates in state correctional facilities (SISCF). Retrieved from\u00a0<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">http:\/\/<\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.bjs.gov\/index.cfm?ty=dcdetail&amp;iid=275\">www.bjs.gov\/index.cfm?ty=dcdetail&amp;iid=275<\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\"><a name=\"_edn41\"><\/a> Kilmer, B., et al. \u201cAltered State? Assessing How Marijuana Legalization in California Could Influence Marijuana Consumption and Public Budgets\u201d. Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corporation, 2010.<a href=\"http:\/\/www.rand.org\/pubs\/occasional_papers\/OP315\">http:\/\/www.rand.org\/pubs\/occasional_papers\/OP315<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\"><a name=\"_edn42\"><\/a> Alaska Department of Corrections prison population census data 2013<\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\"><a name=\"_edn43\"><\/a> Kilmer, B, Caulkins, J.P, Bond, B.M. &amp; Reuter, P.H. \u201cReducing Drug Trafficking Revenues and Violence in Mexico: Would Legalizing Marijuana in California Help?\u201d Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corporation, 2010.<\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.rand.org\/pubs\/occasional_papers\/OP325\">http:\/\/www.rand.org\/pubs\/occasional_papers\/OP325<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0___\u201cAnnual Report 2012: The State of the Drugs Problem in Europe.\u201d European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction. Lisbon. November 2012. P. 35.<\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\"><a name=\"_edn44\"><\/a> Annual Report 2012: The State of the Drugs Problem in Europe.\u201d European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction. Lisbon. November 2012. P. 35.<\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\"><a name=\"_edn45\"><\/a> MacCoun, R. &amp; Reuter, P. (2001). Evaluating Alternate Cannabis Regimes.\u00a0<i>The British Journal of Psychiatry, 178<\/i>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\"><a name=\"_edn46\"><\/a> INTRAVAL Bureau for Research &amp; Consultancy. \u201cCoffeeshops in the Netherlands 2004.\u201d\u00a0<i>Dutch Ministry of Justice<\/i>. June 2005.<a href=\"http:\/\/www.intraval.nl\/en\/b\/b45.html\">http:\/\/www.intraval.nl\/en\/b\/b45.html<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\"><a name=\"_edn47\"><\/a> MacCoun, R. (2010). What can we learn from the Dutch Cannabis Coffeeshop experience?\u00a0<i>RAND Drug Policy Research Center.<\/i>Retrieved from\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.rand.org\/content\/dam\/rand\/pubs\/working_papers\/2010\/RAND_WR768.pdf\">http:\/\/www.rand.org\/content\/dam\/rand\/pubs\/working_papers\/2010\/RAND_WR768.pdf<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\"><a name=\"_edn48\"><\/a> European Monitoring Center for Drugs and Drug and Addiction. (2011). Drug Policy Profiles-Portugal. Retrieved from<a href=\"http:\/\/www.emcdda.europa.eu\/publications\/drug---policyprofiles\/portugal\">http:\/\/www.emcdda.europa.eu\/publications\/drug&#8211;<b>&#8211;<\/b>policyprofiles\/portugal<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\"><a name=\"_edn49\"><\/a> <i>Institute of Medicine<\/i>. \u201cMarijuana and Medicine: Assessing the Science Base.\u201d (1999). Summary\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.nap.edu\/html\/marimed\">http:\/\/www.nap.edu\/html\/marimed<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0(January 11, 2006).<\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\"><a name=\"_edn50\"><\/a> Benson, John A., Jr. and Watson, Stanley J., Jr. \u201cStrike a Balance in the Marijuana Debate.\u201d\u00a0<i>The Standard-Times<\/i>. 13 April 1999.<\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\"><a name=\"_edn51\"><\/a> O\u2019Connell, T.J. &amp; Bou-Matar, C.B. (2007). Long term marijuana users seeking medical cannabis in California<\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\">(2001\u20132007): demographics, social characteristics, patterns of cannabis and other drug use of 4117 applicants.\u00a0<i>Harm<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\"><i>Reduction Journal, 4<\/i>(16)<\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\"><a name=\"_edn52\"><\/a> \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. (2011)<\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\"><a name=\"_edn53\"><\/a> Cerda, M., et al. (2012). Medical marijuana laws in 50 states: Investigating the relationship between state legalization of medical marijuana and marijuana use, abuse and dependence.\u00a0<i>Drug &amp; Alcohol Dependence, 120<\/i>(1-3).<\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\"><a name=\"_edn54\"><\/a> Colorado Office of the State Auditor. (2013). &amp; City of Denver Office of the Auditor. (2013).<\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\"><a name=\"_edn55\"><\/a> \u00a0NSDUH, Summary of National Findings, 2012. Retrieved from<\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\">\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.samhsa.gov\/data\/NSDUH\/2012SummNatFindDetTables\/NationalFindings\/NSDUHresults2012.pdf\">http:\/\/www.samhsa.gov\/data\/NSDUH\/2012SummNatFindDetTables\/NationalFindings\/NSDUHresults2012.pdf<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\"><a name=\"_edn56\"><\/a> Rocky Mountain HIDTA. (2013). Legalization of Marijuana in Colorado: The Impact. Retrieved from<\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\">\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.rmhidta.org\/html\/FINAL%20Legalization%20of%20MJ%20in%20Colorado%20The%20Impact.pdf\">http:\/\/www.rmhidta.org\/html\/FINAL%20Legalization%20of%20MJ%20in%20Colorado%20The%20Impact.pdf<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\"><a name=\"_edn57\"><\/a> Salomonsen-Sautel, S., et al.\u00a0(2012). Medical marijuana use among adolescents in substance abuse treatment.\u00a0<i>Journal of American Academic Child &amp; Adolescent Psychiatry, 51<\/i>(7).<\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\"><a name=\"_edn58\"><\/a> Rocky Mountain HIDTA. (2013). Legalization of Marijuana in Colorado: The Impact. Retrieved from<\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.rmhidta.org\/html\/FINAL%20Legalization%20of%20MJ%20in%20Colorado%20The%20Impact.pdf\">http:\/\/www.rmhidta.org\/html\/FINAL%20Legalization%20of%20MJ%20in%20Colorado%20The%20Impact.pdf<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\"><a name=\"_edn59\"><\/a> Harding, Anne. \u201cPot May Indeed Lead to Heroin Use, Rat Study Shows\u201d\u00a0<i>Reuters.<\/i>\u00a0July 12, 2006. See also: \u201cWhy Teenagers Should Steer Clear of Cannabis\u201d Vine, Gaia.\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.newscientist.com\/\">www.NewScientist.com<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\"><a name=\"_edn60\"><\/a> \u201cWhat Americans Need to Know about Marijuana.\u201d\u00a0<i>Office of National Drug Control Policy<\/i>. October 2003.<\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\"><a name=\"_edn61\"><\/a> Gfroerer, Joseph C., et al.\u00a0\u201cInitiation of Marijuana Use: Trends, Patterns and Implications.\u201d\u00a0<i>Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Office of Applied Studies<\/i>. July 2002. Page 71.<\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\"><a name=\"_edn62\"><\/a> \u201cNon-Medical Marijuana II: Rite of Passage or Russian Roulette?\u201d\u00a0<i>CASA Reports<\/i>. April 2004. Chapter V, Page 15.<\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\"><a name=\"_edn63\"><\/a> \u201cMore Than Two-Thirds of U.S. Residents Who First Started Using Drugs in the Past Year began with Marijuana: 22% Started with Nonmedical Use of Prescriptions.\u201d CESARFAX. Vol. 21. Issue 42. October 22, 2012<\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\"><a name=\"_edn64\"><\/a> \u201cNearly One in Ten U.S High School Students Report Heavy Marijuana Use in the Past Month: One Third or More of\u00a0\u00a0Heavy\u00a0Users Also Used Cocaine, Ecstasy, or Other Drugs.\u201d CESARFAX, Vol 21. Issue 21. May 29, 2012<\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\"><a name=\"_edn65\"><\/a> The Partnership Attitude Tracking Study: 2011 Parents and Teens Full Report.\u201d MetLife and the Partnership At Drugfree.org.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0May 2, 2012. P7.<\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff; font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;\">Source: <\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #0000ff;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.aacop.org\/page-1860812\">Alaska Association of Chiefs of Police, Inc. &#8211; 14 Reasons Against Marijuana Legalization<\/a> Sept.2014<\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff; font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\u00a0ALASKA Association of Chiefs of Police, Inc. 1.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Legalization will place a significant financial burden on local law enforcement agencies due to the need for special training that will be necessary to identify marijuana users who are driving impaired and to create or enhance youth education programs. \u00a0It is estimated that Alaskan police departments will have [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[30,90,25,12,14],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-10080","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-cannabis-marijuana","category-global-drug-legalisation-efforts","category-law","category-legal-sector","category-social-affairs"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/drugprevent.org.uk\/ppp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10080","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/drugprevent.org.uk\/ppp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/drugprevent.org.uk\/ppp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/drugprevent.org.uk\/ppp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/drugprevent.org.uk\/ppp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10080"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/drugprevent.org.uk\/ppp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10080\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/drugprevent.org.uk\/ppp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10080"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/drugprevent.org.uk\/ppp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10080"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/drugprevent.org.uk\/ppp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10080"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}