To the Editor:
Commenters on your blog have expressed the idea that drug legalization would be good policy. But, as someone in law enforcement, I must disagree:
Does legalizing heroin, cocaine, crack cocaine, and crystal meth, make these drugs any less addictive? The answer is no. In fact, most addicts who use these narcotics find themselves hooked after just one use.
Last year, over 47,000 Americans died from drug related deaths; mostly teens and young adults.
Knowing these basic and true facts, would you be OK with your child walking to a 7-11 and buying a syringe and a bag of heroin?
Making it legal won’t stop the deterioration of a family living with an addict.
Making it legal won’t stop the crime associated with addiction.
Making it legal won’t help the innocent pedestrian struck by the vehicle of a car whose driver is high.
Making it legal will only make it acceptable to our children because they can now buy without fear of jail or fines; which will certainly mean more addicted Americans and more deaths.
Until you have firsthand watched the life slip away from a 17 year-old while he foams at the mouth, and watch that child’s mother screaming, watch friends crying…..be very careful what you wish for.
Even states that have legalized marijuana prove this point. The numbers of vehicular deaths have spiked in those states. Many of those deaths are due to innocent victims being killed by people driving high. The number of regular marijuana users has at least doubled because it’s easy to get and you can smoke it anywhere.
It’s easy to stand on a soapbox and preach legalization, but learn the facts and understand the outcomes
Jonathan Anderson
Newark, NJ.
February 20, 2018
While there is evidence of an increase in traffic fatalities in Colorado since legalization (2014) of recreational marijuana, correlation does not equal causation. In articles from the Denver Post, they do not know if these people were actually under the influence of marijuana at the time of the crash, as canabinoids are metabolized differently and markers remain in the system longer than alcohol. Additionally, it seems that even if there are other drugs or alcohol in the system, if there is evidence of marijuana then it is counted as a “marijuana related death”
Furthermore, a significant increase was motorcyclists, an 11% rise from 2014, in a state that has no helmet law, and also has no compulsory seat belt law. Nearly half of traffic fatalities in 2015 were unrestrained drivers.
All these studies show is that more Coloradoans are using marijuana, but there are a variety of factors that have lead to the increase in traffic deaths.
With all due respect, I don’t see any real public support for legalizing meth or crack. Nor would I equate any of those drugs to marijuana. Opioids are some of the most addicting and damaging drugs which are easily (and legally) pushed into our communities by big pharma with little to no resistance from our elected officials.
I do not smoke marijuana. However, I understand how easy it already is to get and fully support legalization in the hope that all government tax proceeds would be fully put back into investing in drug treatment programs for those suffering from serious addictions.
My 2 cents.