Arizona's marijuana ballot initiative: A gateway plan?

First marijuana, then meth? ... At a lively debate last week on the proposed legalization of marijuana, an attorney who supports the 2016 ballot initiative told the audience the measure is the "first step" toward full legalization of drugs in Arizona.

Local criminal defense attorney Marc Victor, arguing in favor of legalization, debated Seth Leibsohn, chairman of Arizonans for Responsible Drug Policy.

Victor said he wished some of the initiative's language was different, but said "it's better than being the world's leader in incarceration rates." His comments were met with applause and whistles.

"So ... this is just the first step towards full legalization, not just of marijuana, but based on everything you said, also heroin, cocaine and meth," Leibsohn said.

Victor stood up, took the mic and responded, "Yeah, it's a first step: I wanna see freedom! I wanna see people decide for themselves what to put in their own bodies, and that includes everything that one can put in his or her own body for competent adults."

Sheila Polk, who is part of a group opposed to legalization, said later that she was shocked by that comment. "I always heard that out there, kind of as a rumor, that marijuana was the first step," she told Insider. But, she said, this was the first time she'd heard supporters "openly admit that this is what this initiative is about."

Talk about a talking point.

Carlos Alfaro, Arizona political director of the Marijuana Policy Project, disputed that the marijuana effort is a step toward legalizing other drugs, saying it doesn't "help our efforts to include other drugs in the conversation."

Papering over a renovation? ... Details continued to trickle out last week about House Speaker David Gowan's penchant for redecorating, including that he approved the purchase of more than $11,000 in cherry office furniture for three Republican leaders — with desks alone topping $2,000 each. The redecorating spree comes after lawmakers pushed for significant budget cuts to assure the state stays in the black.

Cornered last week about rumors of a massive basement makeover that some say includes showers and gym facilities, Gowan had no interest in answering questions.

"This is news?" he responded. "We had looked at some plans that the staff had brought up. And at that point I looked at them. And then, that's when you guys seemed to find out before I did."

Let's unpack that: So he knew before the media and had looked at the plans before he was asked about them. But he didn't know anything about the plans he had already looked at?

You follow that? Yeah, Insider doesn't either.

When asked again, Gowan responded, "The house, if you're saying the house as in home ..."

Finally he responded, "I have nothing in play."

Oh, THAT military exercise ... Gov. Doug Ducey was asked to comment last week on Texas Gov. Greg Abbott's plan to have that state's National Guard monitor a U.S. military operation called Jade Helm 15. Abbott's vigilance is prompted by concerns from conspiracy theorists who fear the military operations could lead to martial law.

Since Jade Helm 15 is also happening in Arizona, Ducey was asked if he has concerns.

Ducey didn't miss a beat: "I believe what you're referring to, we have been briefed on," he said. "We're following what's going on in Texas with great interest, and we're going to cooperate with the federal government and federal authorities and be supportive in any way we can to protect the citizens of Arizona."

Later, Ducey's office called to clarify the governor had confused the question with another issue. What issue was unclear, and his office never got back with an answer on how he feels about Jade Helm 15. But apparently he's not calling out the Arizona Guard.

Quote of the week:

"What I am skeptical about is what human activity has to do with it." — Ducey, speaking about climate change after discussing wildfire danger during Arizona's hot, dry summer.