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Derek M. Siegle, Executive Director, Ohio HIDTA

As I hear discussions regarding both medical and recreational use of marijuana, I feel compelled to provide some facts regarding this topic. According to the Office of National Drug Control Policy, "confusing messages being presented by popular culture, media, proponents of "medical" marijuana, and political campaigns to legalize all marijuana use perpetuate the false notion that marijuana is harmless. This significantly diminishes efforts to keep our young people drug free and hampers the struggle of those recovering from addiction."

There are many myths being perpetrated by those in favor of legalization.

The use or possession of marijuana is not impacting the criminal justice system, as most marijuana arrests do not involve incarceration.

The Drug-Free Workplace Act of 1988 requires some federal contractors and all federal grantees to agree that they will provide drug-free workplaces as a precondition of receiving a contract or grant from a federal agency. Noncompliance with these requirements could cause companies to lose federal contracts. Businesses may be less likely to move to Ohio, and employers may not hire individuals who cannot pass a drug test. Studies associate workers' marijuana smoking with increased absences, tardiness, accidents, workers' compensation claims and job turnover.

Marijuana stays in your system for 72 hours. Because of this long life, levels of Tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, the active ingredient in marijuana, continue to build in our systems. This is not the case with other drugs, to include alcohol. THC is stored in our fatty cells. Since our brains are 99 percent fat, the THC causes these cell walls to expand and become very thick, which decreases their ability to transmit and receive data between nerve cells.

The highest density of cannabinoid receptors is found in parts of the brain that influence pleasure, memory, thinking, concentration, sensory and time perception, and coordinated movement. Research demonstrates marijuana has the potential to cause problems in daily life or make a person's existing problems worse. Heavy marijuana users generally report lower life satisfaction, poorer mental and physical health, relationship problems, and less academic and career success compared to their peers.

Today's marijuana is also much stronger, with THC content soaring from 3 percent to as much as 20 percent.

Potential tax revenue will only cover about 15 percent of the collateral costs to our community: increased drug treatment, emergency room visits, crime, traffic accidents and school "dropouts."

Allowing individuals to grow their own will only decrease the tax revenue and increase the availability to others.

Colorado does not tax medical marijuana, so an increasing number of individuals are acquiring medical cards to avoid the taxes. In states that have legalized marijuana, the majority of medical cardholders are not the sick or elderly. It is males under the age of 40 who claim to have chronic or severe pain.

In addition, allowing individuals to grow their own, as some states have done, will reduce tax revenue. Taxes and limits on potency will also ensure the presence of a "black market." Drug trafficking organizations will not decline as they are involved in many drugs and will not be willing to give up the marijuana trade.

Legalization will lead to greater use by our youth. Youth surveys indicate more of our children will try marijuana if it is legal. In states where marijuana is legal, most youths are getting their marijuana from someone who legally obtained it. States with legalized marijuana have seen an increase in youth use. For example, states having the top use among 12- to 17-year-olds are states where medical marijuana is legal. Denver's 8th-grade student marijuana use is 350 percent higher than the national average.

Without a doubt, there would be an adverse effect on the educational environment, which is already experiencing difficulty. Is marijuana a gateway drug? Most drug abusers also smoked, or started with marijuana.

Accidents and fatalities from drugged driving, testing positive for marijuana, will also increase as it has in Colorado.

Proponents expound the "medical" virtues of the drug.

If it should be used for medicinal purposes, then why is it not prescribed by a licensed doctor, and approved by the Food and Drug Administration as we require for other drugs? Canabinoid medicines exist and have the same medical effect for treatment, but without the high produced by smoking marijuana.

The increase in murders, robberies, burglaries, number of addicts, number of homeless people, use among our youth, is well documented in Colorado. As the governor of Colorado said, "This is a bad idea."

I encourage you to review ALL available literature and research on marijuana. I suggest whitehouse.gov/ondcp/marijuana

Derek Siegle is executive director of the Ohio High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Program, a federally funded grant program that provides funding, training and support to drug task forces throughout Ohio.