An Open Letter to NYS Governor Andrew Cuomo:
"Why Would Government Ever Legalize Another ADDICTIVE Drug?"
Dear Governor Cuomo,
We New Yorkers who are concerned for the health, safety, and welfare of our families, have seen scores of articles and studies on marijuana. - Not one study even hints that marijuana is a protective factor for positive youth development. - Not one study states that marijuana use supports healthy families. - Not one study concludes that marijuana use builds strong communities. In fact, overwhelmingly, the findings are exactly the opposite for all three cases. Scores of scientific studies have demonstrated that marijuana is not a harmless and benign drug, rather, it has harmful effects and serious adverse consequences to both youth, young adults, and adults. Research on the health and safety effects of marijuana strongly correlates with many mental, emotional, psychological, and physical problems. In addition, many crimes, accidents, job and school performance problems have been associated with the use of marijuana. While not everyone that uses marijuana becomes drug dependent, the reality is that marijuana use, as with alcohol and other drugs, certainly can lead to profound, chronic and progressive chemical dependency. Even the New York State Health Department reported in their Assessment, that from 9-to-30 percent of cannabis users can become cannabis dependent… think about it…. up to 30% of users can become addicted! Marijuana use can be very serious, dangerous, and have a profound impact upon the quality of life for hundreds of thousands of Americans and their families. Society disregards the inherent dangers, but before they know it, from 10-to-54 percent of users will experience problems -- many grave and even catastrophic consequences. And now with marijuana products having THC as high as 99%, (an increase in THC from the 1-to-3% ratio in the sixties), it makes the drug even more dangerous and addictive. Marijuana has destroyed the dreams and the quality of life for countless youth and families. And one of the greatest dangers of marijuana is that it is underestimated as a powerful pharmacologic, psychoactive, mind-altering substance. In this regard marijuana is not fully appreciated for what it really is - a strong drug of addiction that can have devastating effects for our families. Drug use affects everyone - the family, friends, neighbors and all of society. It is not a personal, singular event. The use of drugs does not happen in a vacuum. And tens-of-thousands of individuals and families have been left emotionally bankrupt, many, even for life. Marijuana legalization is not simply another public policy issue like taxes. Once enacted, legalization will have far reaching and permanent repercussions for our families - and on our children, forever. To take a powerful risk factor, a known risk factor -- and allow it to flourish will only further undermine the healthy families and healthy communities we are trying to build and maintain. New York has a high rate of crime, a high rate of divorce, high rates of child abuse, academic underachievement, and teen pregnancy.….. our jails are full, our schools are faltering, and our families are failing. Given these community problems, to allow a known environmental carcinogen such as marijuana into an otherwise delicately balanced community... to take a powerful risk factor, a known risk factor -- and allow it to flourish will only further undermine the healthy families and healthy communities we are trying to build and maintain. A massive infusion of psychoactive drugs won't help this situation… it will only make life so much worse. If our goal is to increase the Quality of Life for all New Yorkers, then the legalization of marijuana is contra-indicated. Please, do NOT Legalize Marijuana. Signed, The Concerned Parents and Families of New York State |