Today, the House Federal & State Affairs Committee passed a bill that is deceptively called a “medical” marijuana bill. However, as it was passed out of committee, it would essentially allow anyone to obtain marijuana for almost any reason at all.
Medical Marijuana is typically used as a step towards fully legalizing recreational marijuana. But in this case, proponents of the bill didn’t even really try to hide what they are doing by bypassing amendments that would have added regulations and medical oversight to the bill. There is nothing “medical” about the bill as it exists.
As other states have been legalizing marijuana over the last decade, the harms are no longer just hypothetical – they are real and documented.
Here are just a couple harms that we’ve seen from other states:
- The number of fatal crashes involving marijuana have more than doubled in states that have legalized marijuana.
- One study found that regular recreational marijuana users had psychotic disorders at a greater rate than users of any other drug (more than cocaine, methamphetamine, amphetamine, LSD, PCP, or alcohol).
- Following legalization, central Oregon hospitals saw a nearly 2,000% increase in emergency room visits due to marijuana poisoning.
- Between 2017 and 2018, Colorado, Washington, and Oregon—three states with legalized marijuana—were among the top four states with an increase in chronically homeless people.
These are just a few of the problems associated with legalizing marijuana. Not to mention this is still a Schedule 1 drug under federal law along with ecstasy and heroin.
This legislation is dangerous for our families.
Our families deserve better,
Brittany Jones, Esq.
Director of Advocacy