Pubdate: Thu, 11 Oct 2012
Source: Helena Independent Record (MT)
Copyright: 2012 Helena Independent Record
Contact: http://helenair.com/app/contact/letters_to_editor/
Website: http://helenair.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1187
Author: John McKee

LATEST MEDICAL MARIJUANA INITIATIVE SHOULD BE REJECTED

Does the will of the people continue to have any meaning in
Montana?

Not if the politicians have anything to do with it. Never before has a
voter passed initiative been overturned by the Legislature.

If the voters approve IR 124, the bill repealing Medical Cannabis, it
may be the first time, but make no mistake, not be the last.

Folks like Larry Jent and Mike Milburn, who have no problem telling
you how you cannot think for yourself, gleefully admit SB 423 was in
fact a repeal of the 60+ percent voter-approved medical cannabis law.

And the Safe Community Safe Kids folks are permanently apoplectic
about their perceived fantasy of rampant teen use because of the
passage of this initiative.

Facts tell a different story: A new study from the University of
Montana, which is based partly on information from the Centers for
Disease Control that arrived at a similar conclusion found no
correlation between legalization of medical marijuana and increased
usage among teens.

In fact, some states saw a slight drop in teen usage. According to a
member of the research team, "We are confident that marijuana use by
teenagers does not increase when a state legalizes medical marijuana,"
said study researcher D. Mark Anderson, assistant professor of health
economics and risky behavior at Montana State University.

Voter initiatives sometimes need course corrections, which is what
reasonable legislative discourse is for, and that will happen with
medical cannabis in Montana, given a chance in the upcoming
legislative session. Vote no on IR 124! Say no to the Black Market!

John McKee

Columbia Falls
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MAP posted-by: Matt