Politics

Arizona Pot Groups Uses Mother’s Day to Advertise Legalization Ballot

When pro legalization efforts rears its ugly head on Mother’s Day…

When managers of the Colorado and Washington pro-marijuana legalization campaigns were asked how they won in 2012, they said that focusing on women, specifically the moms, was key to their success.

The campaigns set out to convince parents that legalization would have four benefits: “Fewer profits for cartels, increased funding for schools, more time for police to focus on violent crime, and their children would not be affected.”  The opposite has turned out be true in all regards, and crime has increased.

In advance of Mother’s Day 2012, the Colorado Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol Campaign ran TV advertisements in Denver of young woman emailing her mother saying that she was going to try marijuana instead of alcohol, because she thinks it’s safer.

Following that lead of exploiting Mother’s Day, the pro-legalization coalition in Arizona put up billboards in Phoenix and Tucson on Monday. The billboards feature a young woman and her mother, with the question: “Have you talked to your parents about marijuana?”  It’s also an obvious way to interest young potential customers, and attract young voters.

The Campaign to Regular Marijuana Like Alcohol called the billboard campaign a “playful angle on the conversations parents were urged for decades to have with their children about the dangers of marijuana and other drugs.legalization

A press release from the Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol said: “For decades, the federal government distributed anti-marijuana propaganda to parents and encouraged them to share it with their children.

“The goal of the ads is to flip the script on marijuana education and encourage younger voters to start conversations about marijuana with their family members, especially older generations who have been led to believe marijuana is more harmful than it actually is.”  (Safer than alcohol” is a frequent but deceptive rallying cry of the marijuana lobby.)  Here’s more information on the ballot in Arizona, which is losing according to polls.

ARDP Opposition Responds to the Billboards

Arizonans for Responsible Drug Policy denounced the billboards, claiming they mock serious conversations about drugs between parents and kids. “There is nothing ‘playful’ about the serious conversations parents have with their children about the dangers of substance abuse,” said Seth Leibsohn, chair of Arizonans for Responsible Drug Policy. “It is wholly irresponsible to mock substance abuse — and the hard work done by community preventionists and parents to keep their children safe — as a joke.”

Leibsohn called for the ads to be taken down immediately, noting that in nearby Colorado:

The billboards were paid for by the the Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol, sponsored by the Marijuana Policy Project, Yes on I-08-2016, with major funding from Marijuana Policy Project,  MPP Foundation, an out-of-state contributor,  Arizonans for Responsible Legalization and Monarch.

California, Featured, News Articles

California Activists Rise up Against Marijuana Ballot

Healthcare, Labor & Law Enforcement Organizations Oppose Marijuana Ballot

A broad coalition is launching an opposition to the proposed Adult Use of Marijuana Act which Lieutenant Governor Gavin Newsom announced yesterday.  The opposition campaign will wage a robust effort to fight the ballot in the November election.

California has never succeeded in regulating the medical marijuana which was passed to benefit those with terminal illnesses, back in 1996.  Instead, it has become the legal way for any college student who wants to get high to use the drug, if they pay a small fee.  Recently, the California legislature — with blatant hypocrisy — raised the age for buying tobacco to age 21, but refused to raise the age for obtaining medical marijuana cards from 18 to 21. It looks good to be against the tobacco industry, but it’s not hip to be against the marijuana industry.  

Under the proposed marijuana ballot, the sin tax on marijuana sold in the state would be 15%, not nearly enough to cover the social problems involved with marijuana, nor to regulate the industry. The sales would be illegal under federal law.   The proposition keeps the tax low, with hopes that there will no longer be black market sales. (Black market sales thrive in Colorado and Washington.)

The initiative’s proponents received financial backing in the amount of about $2.25 million, including $1 million from Napster founder and former Facebook president Sean Parker, and $500,000 from the Drug Policy Action. Parker’s money paid for the collection of 600,000 signatures, of which 365,880 need to be legitimate to qualify.  The measure would allow adults ages 21 and older to possess, transport and use up to an ounce of marijuana for recreational purposes. Individuals would be allowed to grow as many as six plants.

Specific Opposition to the Marijuana Ballot

The California Police Chiefs Association, California Hospital Association, California Teamsters, California State Sheriffs’ Association, California Peace Officers Association, Los Angeles Police Protective League, the Small Growers Association, as well as Democrat and Republican elected officials have stepped up to the plate and will lead the charge against outright legalization.  They will work with Citizens Against the Legalization of Marijuana – California (CALM – Ca), comprised of individual citizens who are against the ballot initiative and against the commercialized marijuana industry.

“Marijuana is a very dangerous drug,” said Scott Chipman, co-chairman of CALM for southern California.  “The state has not proven it has the capacity or the will to properly regulate marijuana and so they won’t.”

“This is bad for our communities.  This is bad for our youth and it’s a broad commercialization (of drugs), a for-profit, money-making model,” according to Ventura Police Chief Ken Corney. Corney is president of the police chiefs association. He said that extremely potent marijuana is being sold in Colorado which will lead to high addiction rates and high incidents of psychosis.

There are a number of loopholes in this bill.  A recent white paper by the San Diego District Attorney’s office points out, “The initiative allows persons convicted of dealing large amounts of controlled substances such as heroin, methamphetamine or cocaine to become ‘legal marijuana dealers.’

Corney said, “This new initiative will specifically allow for convicted major meth and heroin dealers to be licensed recreational marijuana vendors in California. You have to question proponents in terms of placing personal wealth and corporation profits ahead of community well-being.”

Wayne Johnson, long-time strategist leading a coalition of healthcare, labor and law enforcement organizations in opposition noted, “Why on earth would anyone propose this? They were repeatedly warned that they were creating this loophole and they did it anyway. Their motives are absolutely questionable.”

Internal polling conducted by the opposition campaign indicates that California voter opinions on legalization of marijuana have not changed much since Proposition 19 was defeated in 2010 by 7 points. A similar measure in Ohio was overwhelmingly defeated by voters this past November as well.

Further, California voters need only look to recent reports by research institutions like  the University of California, San Francisco that cite “minimal protections for public health”, contained in this proposed initiative. (Link to the UCSF report HERE).

Pregnancy/Breastfeeding

Marijuana and Breastfeeding

Pro-pot advocates tell us their cannabinoids in breast milk which is true, but that’s not a reason to smoke pot while pregnant. In fact, Arizona just passed a law requiring all medical marijuana dispensaries to warn pregnant and breastfeeding women against using marijuana. Pamela McColl wrote an article on pregnancy and marijuana.

A blog from October, 2012 that discusses the subject. The author lives in the region which produces the most marijuana in the US.  We’re reprinting this from the Mama Birth website, with permission:

Can you smoke marijuana while breastfeeding?  Well- of course you can.

Should you smoke marijuana while breastfeeding?  That is a very different question and one which is hotly debated.  I am familiar with the raging feelings concerning smoking marijuana while pregnant and this subject also brings out strong emotions.

For some people smoking marijuana ever is a no brainer- why would you do that?  It’s illegal anyway.  For others, smoking weed is a part of their lifestyle and is considered a medicinal herb rather than a drug.  No matter how you view marijuana and no matter it’s place in your lifestyle, it is worth carefully considering if it’s use should continue during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

The research on this subject is not vast.  A true scientific study would require two large groups of breastfeeding mothers, half randomly assigned to smoking marijuana while breastfeeding, and half assigned to not smoke while breastfeeding.  Of course, as drugs.com states, this type of study is considered unethical:

“Data are from random breastmilk screening rather than controlled studies because of ethical considerations in administering marijuana to nursing mothers”

So, to research this subject we must look at smaller studies and glean what we can from them and make the best choice.  What does the limited research show?  The following quotes are taken from an article in the Journal of Toxicology, April 2009.  Please take the time to read the study and the resources it quotes if you are seriously interested in this subject.

Decreased motor development-

” The active substance of cannabis is the delta 9 TetraHydroCannabinol (THC). Some studies conclude that it could decrease motor development of the child at one year of age.”

THC is stored in the infant’s fat tissues for long periods of time-

“Its half-life is 1 to 2.3 days, and traces can persist for up to 4 to 6 weeks. It is rapidly distributed to the brain and adipose tissue. It is stored in fat tissues for long periods (weeks to months) [7].”

While studies are limited we do know some of the effects of some of the components of marijuana and it is known that marijuana can cause oral motor weakness which can cause problems with milk production.  A baby that doesn’t suck well will fail to cause the mother’s adequate milk production.-

“Indeed, during foetal life, the cannabinoid CB1 receptor acts on brain development, regulating neural progenitor differentiation into neurones and glia (as CB2 receptor) and guiding axonal migration and synaptogenesis. Postnatally, CB1 receptor blockade induces oral motor weakness, which reveals a critical role for CB1 receptors in the initiation of milk suckling by neonates [8]”

It is also known that marijuana may impact brain development-

“Cannabinoids are also involved in the expression of key genes for neural development [11].”

Smoking weed is known to cause poor feeding patterns in humans.

“Cannabis causes sedation, weakness, and poor feeding patterns in adult [7]”

THC is known to pass through breast milk-

“THC is excreted into human breast milk in moderate amounts [19]. In one feeding, the infant would ingest 0.8% of the weight-adjusted maternal intake of one joint [20]. The ratio milk-to-plasma rates 8 in heavy users [19].”

Animal studies again indicate that milk production can be negatively impacted by marijuana use and Dr Hale agrees.

” Indeed, studies in animals suggest that marijuana could inhibit lactation by inhibiting prolactin production and, possibly, by a direct action on the mammary glands [7]. Hale reports a positive evidence of risk on milk production. Nevertheless, there are no human data to corroborate these observations.”

Marijuana use by a breastfeeding mother is known to cause lethargy in the infant among other things.

“According to Hale, marijuana could produce sedation and growth delay in infant [7], and a study by Liston have demonstrated that infants exposed to marijuana via breast milk show signs of sedation, reduced muscular tonus, and poor sucking [21].”

While it is unethical to conduct studies on humans, we do known that the compounds present in marijuana can alter DNA and brain growth.

” Animal studies have demonstrated alteration of DNA and RNA synthesis, and proteins needed for proper growth and development impaired in brain cells of newborn animals [21].”

While we don’t know a lot about how smoking marijuana while breastfeeding impacts the baby, the fact that no long term studies have been done does not mean there are no long term effects.

A study has also indicated that marijuana use can raise the chance of SIDS or sudden infant death syndrome.

” But paternal marijuana use during the periods of conception, pregnancy, and postnatally was significantly associated with SIDS [26].”

In addition to the known passage of marijuana through breast milk and it’s known storage in fatty tissues, it is mentioned that the mind altering effects of smoking marijuana are not recommended for anybody who is a primary care provider for an infant.

“Marijuana should not be used by nursing mothers because it may impair their judgment and child care abilities. Marijuana should not be smoked by anyone in the vicinity of infants because the infants may be exposed by inhaling the smoke. Some evidence indicates that paternal marijuana use increases the risk of sudden infant death syndrome in breastfed infants.”

So, in summary-

 The use of marijuana during breastfeeding is not recommended for many reasons.  It is known to pass through the breast milk.  It is known to be stored in fatty tissue for a long period of time.  It is known to impact DNA and RNA.  Babies whose mother’s smoked weed tended to be more lethargic and this could impact milk supply and the ability to actively suck and extract milk.  Smoking marijuana while breastfeeding is even thought to increase SIDS rates.

I live in an area where the use of marijuana is widespread, common, and legally accepted.  I realize that many people believe that this substance has healing properties and has only been criminalized by those who are out for money or otherwise inclined to oppress farmers and hippies.

I realize that research on this subject is spotty at best and has small sample sizes and insufficient data.  I strongly believe that just because something has not been proven dangerous does not mean it has been proven SAFE.

I strongly believe that it is our responsibility as a mothers and care providers to do what is best for our children.  I also believe that we can sacrifice some of our old habits and lifestyles for our children.  In fact I know that every good mother does this for her children.  There are simply some things in our lives that need to be changed in order to be the best mother we can be to our babies.

For some of this it is patterns in our life, work, relationships, even hobbies.  For most of us it means less sleep for a certain length of time, giving up our bodies briefly and some of our freedoms.  For some of us it even means sacrificing some lifestyle choices and even drug (or medicinal herbal) use.

I can guarantee  you that the sacrifices we make for our children will be well worth it and will not be regretted.  I know that what can seem like a long and hard sacrifice for our children will look so short in a few years when we look back.

Life changes when we have babies and it changes forever.  That is OK.  In fact, it is a beautiful part of motherhood.

Let go of some of the sleep.  Find different ways to deal with stress.  (Nature has designed breastfeeding perfectly so that the very act of nursing relaxes both mother and baby and produces love hormones.)

Enjoy some of the natural drugs that your own body creates during the amazing journey of breastfeeding and set aside some of the others that we have to ingest.  It will be such a short time in the long run and it will be so worth it- even to avoid a hypothetical risk.

For more information, consult this study.

Colorado

Colorado Rethinks Marijuana Legalization

colorado-marijuanaNew reports out of Colorado indicate that legal marijuana  is posing real risks to the safety of young people. As Colorado rethinks marijuana, the rest of the nation should watch carefully this failing experiment.

Healthcare officials representing three hospitals in Pueblo, Colorado, issued a statement on April 27 in support of a ballot measure that would end Marijuana commercialization in the city and county of Pueblo. “We continue to see firsthand the increased patient harm caused by retail marijuana, and we want the Pueblo community to understand that the commercialization of marijuana is a significant public health and safety issue,” said Mike Baxter, president and CEO of Parkview Medical Center.

Among their concerns are  a 51 percent increase in number of children under 18 being treated in Parkview Medical Center emergency rooms.  Furthermore, of newborn babies at St. Mary-Corwin Hospital, drug tested due to suspected prenatal exposure, nearly half tested positive for marijuana.

In more bad news for the pot promoters, the Denver school system has produced a video to show how marijuana tax revenues are not providing education dollars. This is a common rationale used by the industry to garner support for legal weed.

Earlier this month, the Denver Post published an opinion piece by a Colorado activist which raises the issue of the high potency levels of pot, and the widespread use of marijuana by teenagers in the state.  Marijuana above 15% potency is considered a hard drug in the Netherlands, yet Colorado’s pot is 17% and beyond. Describing the risk of marijuana to the developing brains of young people, the writer then goes into the troubling statistics:

“… especially of concern given than 36.9 percent of Colorado high school students say they have tried marijuana, according to the 2013 Healthy Kids Colorado Survey. One out of five students reported using it in the past 30 days.

In Denver, where there’s been the most marijuana commercialization, teen use over the previous month was disturbingly much higher, at 26.6 percent, with almost half of students saying they have tried marijuana.”

A bill to ban marijuana edibles which appeal to young children, such as gummy bears, is now being considered in the Colorado state legislature. It just passed the House with an overwhelming majority and is heading to the senate.

Smart Colorado, a citizen action group concerned about marijuana’s impact on youth, health and safety says that 165 cities and counties have banned marijuana sales, and yet 61% of high school seniors have already tried marijuana.

It is time to end the unwise Colorado experiment which is endangering the lives and futures of the most vulnerable.

Bursting the Bubble of Marijuana Hype