HomeMy WebLinkAbout2017/08/03 Written Communicationt; Uvica.org
Citizens Against Legalizing Marijuana
June 21, 2017
Dear Elected Official,
The two most important responsibilities of elected officials at any level of government are first and
foremost to protect the people, and secondly, to manage tax dollars. Making marijuana, a very
dangerous drug, readily available threatens your ability to do either.
Young people aged 12-25 have the highest consumption rate of marijuana. This group is under the
threshold of a mature brain. Marijuana causes physical changes in the developing brain reducing
cognitive skills, memory, and motivation. It can cause a permanent loss of IQ by up to 8 points which
moves a student a full category —from average to below average. Marijuana users are 5 times more
susceptible to suicide, and 7 times more susceptible to mental illness. It is a causal factor in psychotic
breaks leading to violent acts, mental illness including schizophrenia, paranoia, bi-polar disorder,
addiction, birth defects, and impaired driving. All of this translates to more crime, homelessness,
academic failure, traffic deaths, and incalculable damage to our environment.
Obviously there is huge money in illicit drugs. The cartels prove that. Cartels are not concerned with
public health and safety or the related social costs. As with alcohol and tobacco, the social costs are 10
times the tax revenues. Increased marijuana use will be no different. Colorado's experience has shown
that actual taxes on marijuana are significantly less than what was projected. And they do not come
close to covering the increased costs of law enforcement, ER visits, DUI traffic accidents, regulation and
crime. Additionally, the great increase in use by youth leads to very high school drop-out rates.
You only have until January 2018 to establish local ordinances to restrict retail growing and distribution
of marijuana for any use. After January, only the State will have the power to grant licenses to grow,
distribute, and regulate marijuana regardless of the consequences to your community. You will lose
your local control over this issue. Basing the economic future of your community at the expense of
the lives and intellect of your constituents is not a good idea.
The enclosed Brochure spells out what you can do now before it is too late to protect your citizens.
ACT NOW!
Citizens Against Legalizing Marijuana
P.O. Box 2995 Carmichael CA 95609 Phones: Northern CA 916 708 4111 Southern CA 619 990 7480
Citizens Against Legalizing Marijuana, (CALM), is an all -volunteer Political Action Committee
dedicated to defeating any effort to legalize marijuana in California.
Campaign ID# 1326759
Watch the Marihuana Societal COSTS Soar when
you Le ga l i e it
Increased Child Exposures
Increased Addictions
Increased Marijuana Driving
Fatalities
Increased Homelessness
Increased Black Market
Increased Teen Use
Increased Emergency Room
Visits
Increased Low Birth Weights
Just like Tobacco and Alcohol — for every $1 in Marijuana
Taxes Received will COST Society $10
Increase Poison Control Calls
for Marijuana Poisonings
BHO Building Explosions
Increased Hospitalizations
Increased Environmental
Damages
Increased Violence
Increased Marijuana Positive
Birth Rates
Increased Crime
HOW YOU CAN HELP
1. Get involved in the political process in your community,
and ask your friends to join YOU.
2. SEND A CHECK to Citizens Against Legalizing Marijuana at the
address below. Even $5.00 helps provide support to local
communities.
3. Credit card donations are accepted through the website
www.calmca.org
All funds will be used to help reduce the availability
and use of marijuana in our communities.
CALM is all -volunteer and non-profit;
campaign ID 1326759
The following information is required by the
State FPPC for all contributions of $100 or more:
Name:
Employer:_
Please detach and mail to:
CITIZENS AGAINST LEGALIZING MARIJUANA
P.O. Box 2995
Carmichael, CA 95609
(For CALM use only); we will not share your name.
Go to http://www.CALMca.org to:
1. Order these brochures to send to friends and colleagues
2. Order CALM educational flyers on marijuana - English and Spanish
3. Learn more ways to restrict the marijuana industry's presence in
your community
Groups against further commercialization of marijuana:
(Contact us to add your group to the list.)
Senator Dianne Feinstein, California Police Chiefs Association,
Teamsters, Los Angeles Police Protective League, Association of
Los Angeles Deputy Sheriffs, California Hospitals Association
International Faith Based Coalition, Take Back America, California
Narcotic Officer's Association, California Sheiff's Association,
CADFY, Smart Approches to Marijuana (SAM), National Families
in Action, CDFC, America Cares, Courage to Speak, Moms Strong
Everyone in Colorado
Told California to vote NO on Legal (Meed (prop 64)
(*Educators, Superintendents, The Governor, Past -
Governors, Mayors, the DA, Moms, High School students)
Colorado's "Regulate and Control" policies have increased underage
and adult use, poisonings, addiction, homelessness and
drugged driving.
Californians MUST understand these
results, so we know what to expect in California and
can try to mitigate these grave consequences:
Colorado
• Colorado uses more marijuana than any other state in
America since legalizing in 2012. Use among 18-25 year olds
in Colorado is 74% higher than the national average, use
among ages 12-17 is 62% higher, and use among 26+ year
olds is 104% higher.
• Drug crimes rose 12.5% in 2015 in Denver. Homicides were
up over 74%.
• Marijuana poisonings are up 148%; up 153% among
children 0 to 5 year olds.
• A marijuana business for every 47 residents is found among
Denver's communities of color.
• Illegal drug traffickers and cartels hide among "the State's
flourishing legal marijuana industry."
Washington
• One-third (33%) of all DUI cases now test positive for THC,
up from 19% in 2012.
• Fatal accidents involving THC have increased over 120%
from 2010 to 2014.
• 49% of 18-25 year-olds who used marijuana in the past
month had driven a car within three hours of getting high.
16% of those young adults do this 6+ times a month.
• Marijuana driving fatalities nearly match alcohol driving
fatalities (27% and 29% respectively).
• Kids ages 12-17 accounted for 74% of all state marijuana
drug -busts in 2014 (up from 28.9% in 2010).
• There are 200 more recreational marijuana businesses than
Starbucks outlets. These marijuana businesses are fueling
massive increases in marijuana use.
Sou rces: 2015 Rocky Mou it to in HIDTA Data; Washington Post, April 14, 7016,
Dozens arrested In Denver -area pot raids targeting exporter; Northwest High
Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) office In Seattle
'Go to almca.org for a complete list of Coloradoans.
If your city/county does not restrict marijuana activity by the end of 2017,
the State can grant licenses to conduct marijuana business in your community.
Act immediately to prevent this.
It only takes one person to getstarted:
1. Your city/county may have ordinances that deal with "medical"
marijuana businesses, but recreational use allowed in Prop 64 will
require a new ordinance. This can provide protection for the
community if it's done right**
2. Encourage your city/county to ban everything Prop 64 allows
them to ban. They can always "un -ban" later once everyone has
real experience living with recreational marijuana. Also, if a
city/county decides to ban later, any license the State has already
granted cannot be revoked, i.e. pot shops cannot be closed if a
community decides later it doesn't want marijuana in its
commercial districts.
3. Prop 64 allows a city/county to ban the following commercial
marijuana licenses and operating procedures:
o Outdoor cultivation (small, medium & large)
o'.'Indoor cultivation (small,medium &large)
o Manufacturing (small & large)
o Testing
o Retailer (storefront)
o On -premise consumption
o Mobile Delivery
o Distributor (wholesaler).
'.. o Microbusiness (cultivator, manufacturer, retailer,
distributor - under I OK sf)
oOutdoor home cultivation
4. Start educating** friends and neighbors about the dangers of pot.
Form community alliances to ensure broad community support.
Note: Pro -pot businesses are very aggressive in these efforts.
5. Because these ordinances can be passed by majority vote of a
Council or Board (voter approval is not required), it is important to
set up individual meetings with your city council members and `
county supervisors to express your preference for acomprehensive
ban in your community.
If a local governing board won't restrict recreational marijuana by ordinance, voters
do have the right to initiate a ban by ballot measure.
6. if your city/county insists on regulating recreational marijuana
businesses instead of banning them, a small degree of public health
protection may be achieved by increasing the distance of all marijuana
businesses to schools, banning mobile delivery, banning on -premise
consumption and setting strict hours of operation and security controls.
FYI - Landlords may prohibit growing, small or using pot in their rental properties,
but must change the lease to say this.
FYI - Employers can maintain drug-free workplaces, but this is becoming more
complicated in places like Colorado. Keep an eye on employment developments in
policy and the courts.
. Go to alma.org for examples of ordinances& marijuana harms
Citizens Against Legalizing
Marijuana (CALM)
Marijuana continues to be illegal under Federal Law.
To the detriment of our Children and
California's future, Proposition 64 passed.
What's legal/allowed today for recreational pot use:
• Adults can grow 6 pot plants in their home or apartment
(untaxed, unregulated, unlicensed).
• Those 21 or older may use, give or share marijuana in a
private residence.
• Pot can be advertised in all media.
• Pot can be promoted in any form - merchandise, swag, free
subscriptions, etc.
• Transport of pot on all streets.
• In 2018, the State will begin issuing licenses for these
commercial activities in your city/county:
o Outdoor cultivation (small, medium)
o Indoor cultivation (small, medium)
o Manufacturing (small & large)
• Testi n g
o Retailer (storefront & mobile delivery)
o Distributor (wholesaler)
o Microbusiness (cultivator, manufacturer, retailer,
distributor — under 10K sf)
• There are no restrictions on the number of licenses the
State can grant in your city/county.
• Convicted felons can acquire a license to run any kind of
marijuana businesses in your city/county.
What's not legal/not allowed today:
• Smoking pot in public— however, it only carries a $100 fine.
• Driving under the influence of marijuana — however, the
incidences of this have doubled in other rec-legal states.
• Conducting recreational marijuana related business
without a license from the State.
• Using marijuana under 21.
Gateway to Other Drugs
- Marijuana works on the same receptor system in the brain as heroin.
- Marijuana primes the brain to seek stronger drugs.
- Marijuana is a major pathway to opioid addiction.
- Causes and exacerbates: Addiction,
Depression, Psychosis, Schizophrenia
- Psychotic breaks / Violent acts /Anxiety
- Loss of memory, perception, motor skills
- Mental degeneration
--krugged
- Driving tests show marijuana impairs reaction times, divided -attention tasks,
lane -position variability (weaving), peripheral vision, cognitive function & coordination.'
- 1 of every 8 traffic fatalities in Colorado are marijuana related (+32% increase). 22
- Marijuana driving deaths doubled in one year after legalization in Washington. 23
- For every 1 marijuana -user death, .7 innocents die (pedestrian, bicyclists, passengers, etc.)'
- Combining marijuana with alcohol increases impairment up to 8 times.'
1
- Increases dramatically wherever marijuana is legalized.
- Causes irreversible IQ loss up to 8 points and higher
likelihood of Amotivational Syndrome. 13
- 1 in 6 teens who try marijuana will become addicted.12
- Heavy Users are less likely to graduate. 15
- 7x increase in suicide ideation. 15
- Big Marijuana's goal — teen users today become
Fetal Risk lifetime consumers tomorrow.
Marijuana use during pregnancy crosses 01
Think Marijuana is harmless? You don't know POT!
POTENCY: 4
the placental and blood/brain barrier and
Physical Health Impacts
increases the baby's susceptibility to: 5
LUNGS: Smoke from marijuana contains 4-5x the
- Lower birth weight
toxins, irritants & carcinogens as tobacco smoke;
-Addiction later in life
20 times more ammonia. 19
- Birth defects & cancers
Increases likelihood of HEART ATTACK
- Problem solving and learning difficulties later in life
IMMUNE SYSTEM is weakened
Studies show genetic changes in offspring of heavy users.9
Negatively impacts REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM t4
www.CALMca.org • 916-708-4111 •916-270-2675
DEATH RATE 4x higher than non-users. 25
Permission to reprint is granted, calmca.org • Email Carl a DLowe@aol.com for Print-Readv PDF.
Crime
- 50% of men and 30% of women arrested for any crime test positive for marijuana.
- 70% of inmates are addicted to drugs and/or alcohol. 2
- Guns and other weapons are common at both large and home cultivation sites.
Butane Hash Oil (BHO)
- Increases THC potency to 90%21
-As dangerous to make and consume as meth
- Easily causes explosions and fires in
neighborhoods where it is cooked. Ok
Edibles / Vain
- BHO used in "Vaping" devices (aka e -cigarettes) creates a cancer-causing inhalant.
- BHO is used in the manufacture of candy, brownies, soda, gummies, butters, etc.
- Vaping and Edibles are favorite ways for youth to ingest marijuana (THC).
- BHO is not overseen by any regulatory body. There are no quality controls,
no limits on potency, or limits on contaminates (pesticides, herbicides).
Marijuana is Big Money (but not for the community)
- One plant can bring $2,000 to $4,000 to a grower/ distributor.
- Black Markets still thrive after legalization.18 AQ
- Tax revenues from pot sales do NOT cover increased crime, health care or addiction
services. Revenues are projected to be less than .003% of total CA state tax revenue .6
- Cost of law enforcement increases, not decreases with legalization.
- CA already has 50,000 illegal cultivation sites that supply 60% of marijuana to the US.°
Marijuana is NOT Earth -f=riendly 20
- 1 plant uses 6 gallons of water per day.
- Streams diverted to grow sites kill plants & animals downstream.
- Poisons and illegal fertilizers contaminate streams and forests.
Is Marijuana reallyMedicine? "First, Do No Halm"1
Marijuana is harmful C?
The Federal Food and Drug Adminisration confirms that `.+
whole plant marijuana and THC oils are NOT medicine.
- Components may have medicinal value, i.e. CBD (Cannabidiol)11 ?
- To protect the public, the FDA testing and approval process determines
drug safety, dosing efficacy, side effects, potency, duration, interactions, etc.
- Pot shop "baristas" who recommend this psychoactive drug make medical
conditions worse (e.g. PTSD, pediatric seizures, glaucoma and even pain). 26
OPPOSE MARIJUANA USE
American Medical Association
American Cancer Society
American Epilepsy Society
American Academy of Pediatrics
American M.S. Society
National Eye Institute
American Lung Association
and others 26