By: John Michael Pierobon
In November, Florida voters must carefully consider the profound implications of legalizing recreational marijuana. Proponents say Amendment 3 will solve income inequality and promote social justice. This is a fantasy. Legalizing recreational marijuana is neither safe nor smart. It will lead to loss of productivity, and increases in crime, drug addiction, healthcare costs, homelessness, pollution and traffic fatalities as it has in states that legalized the weed.
Legalizing recreational marijuana is robbing from the poor and uneducated and giving permission to a small group of privileged rich investors to profit from addiction and human degradation. Smart & Safe Florida (a misnomer as marijuana impairs metal ability and causes extensive damage to society) is the group leading the campaign to legalize recreational marijuana. It is mostly funded by Trulieve and its "Big Marijuana" cohorts. They have spent tens of millions of dollars to bankroll the campaign because they stand to earn billions if recreational marijuana is legalized. This is corporate greed at its worse.
"Big Marijuana" is like "Big Tobacco", an industry notorious for its exploitation and manipulation, except with a more potent and harmful drug.
A 2022 study published by the Society for the Study of Addiction concluded that in the United States, there appears to be a 20% average increase in cannabis use frequency attributable to recreational legalization.
Marijuana consumption also increased in all age groups when Canada legalized marijuana. Canadian youth and young adults now consume cannabis at rates among the highest in the world. The young believe that, because it is legal, there is no harm. But making it legal does not make it safe.
According to the CDC, marijuana use directly affects "the parts of the brain responsible for memory, learning, attention, decision-making, coordination, emotion, and reaction time." The CDC adds "children, and teens (who still have developing brains) are especially susceptible to the adverse effects of cannabis. Long-term or frequent cannabis use has been linked to increased risk of psychosis or schizophrenia."
Marijuana can cross over to fetuses during pregnancy. Several studies link it to low birth weights. Marijuana use significantly raises the likelihood of neonatal intensive care unit admissions and stillbirths.
In states where recreational marijuana has been legalized, children, especially those under 10 years old, are at increased risk of accidental poisoning from edibles and other products made from marijuana. The average number of emergency room visits due to cannabis use in this age group more than tripled, from 20.9 per 10,000 visits in 2019 to 65.6 per 10,000 visits in 2022.
A study published in JAMA Network Open found that emergency room visits increased 475% when Canada legalized marijuana. The study suggests "cannabis-involved traffic injuries have increased over time and that the commercialization of cannabis markets may result in further increases."
Chances of being in a fatal car accident went up significantly in states that legalized recreational marijuana. A recent study published in the journal Social Science & Medicine revealed substantial increases in crash fatalities of 22% in Oregon and 20% in Alaska when they legalized it. In Colorado, between 2013, when that state legalized recreational marijuana, and 2019, traffic deaths where drivers tested positive for marijuana increased by 140% as per a Colorado state police report.
A study on economic and social costs of legalized marijuana by the Centennial Institute found that for every dollar gained in tax revenue, Coloradans spent approximately $4.50 to mitigate the effects of legalization with costs to their healthcare system and from high school dropouts being the largest cost contributors.
Smart & Safe Florida claims legalized recreational marijuana will be regulated. Today the Chinese mafia controls much of the thriving illicit marijuana trade where it is legal and highly regulated in states such as California, Illinois, Massachusetts and New York.
Anyone who worries about increased crime, healthcare costs, traffic fatalities, and accidental poisonings, or cares about income inequality, social justice, and protecting the most vulnerable among us should vote no on Amendment 3.