Impact on Our Communities

  • No medicine is smoked.  Marijuana is composed of more than 400 chemicals and contains more cancer-causing agents than tobacco smoke. The amount of THC in the marijuana determines how strong its effects will be.  The more potent, the greater risks to the user.
  • States that have “medical” marijuana laws have higher than average incidences of teenage use of marijuana.  Marijuana is generally more available in marijuana-friendly states.
  • The legalization of “medical” marijuana sends the message to our children that marijuana not only is acceptable, it’s good for you!  Marijuana use is on the rise partly because of the mixed message that is sent when adults tout marijuana as a safe and effective medicine.  In fact, marijuana is a dangerous and addictive drug with a high potential for abuse.
  • There will be no regulation whatsoever of the “quality” of the marijuana dispensed to “patients.”  Prop 203 does not require State testing of the marijuana.  It could be full of pesticides, fungus or other harmful components or additives.
  • Prop 203 allows for marijuana dispensaries to be located as close as 500-feet away from any school.
  • Schools may not refuse to enroll marijuana cardholders except under limited circumstances.  Children under the age of 18 can get a marijuana card if he or she has written permission from a parent or guardian and recommendations from two doctors.  Given the large quantity that can be dispensed, what can we expect to happen to the “leftovers?”
  • Cardholders, which can include children, are allowed to purchase as much as 2.5 ounces of marijuana every 14 days, which is enough to produce as many as 200 joints.
  • According to government estimates, 66,000 Arizonans could have marijuana cards within the first few years if this proposition passes. This translates to over 10,300 lbs. of marijuana coming into our neighborhoods every two weeks.
  • Prop 203 allows for any “medical” marijuana cardholder who is not within 25 miles of a dispensary to grow as many as 12 marijuana plants in their home.  A “medical” marijuana caregiver (because he or she is allowed to have as many as five “patients”) would be allowed to grow as many as 60 marijuana plants!  What if two “caregivers” are married?  What if “caregivers” form cooperatives (as they do in other states)?  These “grow houses” become blights in our neighborhoods, bringing down our already crippled property values, and dramatically increasing criminal activity.
  • In “medical” marijuana states, marijuana dispensaries have brought increased crime to neighborhoods, including assaults, burglaries, robberies, drug trafficking, money laundering, murders and gang infiltration.
  • In “medical” marijuana states, unauthorized marijuana dispensaries spring up all over and move from place to place.  And, to get around regulations with respect to the location of dispensaries, some dispensary owners are running “cannabis caravans” and delivering to cardholders at their homes.  Prop 203 specifically allows dispensaries to deliver!