Letter: Former Deputy Mayor, Councilperson: Say NO to Pot
The following letter to the Publisher is from Julie Killian.
Killian is a Rye resident and has served as deputy mayor and councilperson. She ran for lieutenant governor in 2018.
Dear Rye friends:
NYS [New York State] is poised to vote on a bill to legalize pot. No matter what you think of this idea and hopefully below I can convince you it is a bad idea for our kids and our communities, the proposed bill is not in the best interests of our communities and our kids. There is no ability for towns to opt out of retail sales. Do you want pot shops in downtown Rye or Harrison? Or more drugged drivers on our roads? There is no roadside test! Or more black market marijuana? The illegal market has increased in legalized states.
I am asking you to call Senator Mayer today to tell her how you feel about the legalization and commercialization of recreational marijuana. Call her Albany office 518.455.2031. Simply say please vote no on POT. They will ask for your zip code. You can email also at [email protected]
They are voting early next week, possibly Monday. If she doesn't get more calls against marijuana, she will vote for it as her conference wants her to.
I want to be clear, this is NOT about medical marijuana which is already legal and needs more research and this is NOT about decriminalization which is already happening. This is about the full scale commercialization of recreational marijuana that will benefit the addiction for profit business model of Big POT, Big Tobacco and Big Pharma all of whom have invested in this industry.
Some people think it is a harmless drug and the pot of the 70’s which was about 4% THC may have been. Today’s pot is super high potency with regular pot 10-40% THC and the hash oil that our kids are vaping upwards of 95% THC and some of the edibles just as potent. Here are 3 recent studies that confirm high potency pot is bad for our kids and us. A Lancet Study showing daily marijuana use was associated with increased odds of psychotic disorder compared with never users. A Canadian study showing that marijuana is more toxic than alcohol for younger brains. A June 10, 2019 study that found medical marijuana was associated with a 23% increase in opioid deaths. Other evidence shows that marijuana – which has skyrocketed in average potency over the past decades especially in the last couple years - is addictive and harmful to the human brain, especially when used by adolescents. In states that have already legalized, there has been an increase in drugged driving crashes, youth marijuana use, and costs that far outweigh pot revenues.These states have seen a black market that continues to thrive, sustained marijuana arrest rates, and tobacco company investment in marijuana. IT IS NOT THE SOLUTION!!
All the problems that proponents say will be solved with legalization are not solved and data shows they only get worse. No other state has been successful at adequately regulating the legal market to keep kids away and get rid of the black market. The pot lobby is a continual presence in every state house showering money around and pushing more and more deregulation bringing more and more marijuana.
I am asking you to call Senator Mayer to ask her to hold off on legalization until we better understand the impacts of today’s higher potency marijuana.
This is not inevitable. Marijuana commercialization did not succeed this year in NJ, CT, Vermont, New Hampshire, Minnesota and New Mexico. Please ask Sen Mayer to put the brakes on in New York.
-Julie Killian
