Have you noticed the Mother’s Day-themed marijuana billboard on South Sixth Avenue, yet?
The Marijuana Policy Project-backed Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol, which is one of two groups leading efforts to legalize recreational weed in Arizona this year (the other one is Arizonans for Mindful Regulation), launched the sign on Tuesday at 3640 S. 6th Ave., across the street from Southern Arizona Veterans Affairs.
The ad is meant to persuade younger voters into talking to their parents, grandparents and older adults about marijuana and the benefits of legalization, according to a CRMLA press release. There is another billboard like this up in Phoenix.
The ads, which are targeted at younger voters, feature a young woman sitting with her mother and ask: “Have you talked to your parents about marijuana?” The goal of the ads is to flip the script on marijuana education and encourage younger voters to start conversations about marijuana with their family members—especially older generations who have been led to believe marijuana is more harmful than it actually is.
The website that’s pointed out on the ad, TalkItUpArizona.org, leads you to a page where you can send your parents (or any family member, really) a message explaining why older voters’ support for legalization is important.
“For decades, the federal government distributed anti-marijuana propaganda to parents and encouraged them to share it with their children,” said CRMLA Chairman J.P. Holyoak. “It’s time for younger folks to start sharing the facts about marijuana with their parents and other older relatives.”
“Older voters tend to be less familiar with marijuana and, as a result, more concerned about making it legal for adults. Younger voters need to talk to their parents about marijuana and make sure they understand it is actually less harmful than alcohol. They are the voices of reason, and we want to help them make their voices heard.”
As of April, CRMLA says it has collected more than 200,000 signatures. The group’s goal is closer to 230,000 of the 150,642 signatures it needs by July to make sure their initiative makes the ballot this November.
The anti-weed legalization group Arizonans for Responsible Drug Policy, which is co-chaired by Yavapai County Attorney Sheila Polk, says the ad mocks “serious conversations about drugs between parents and kids.”
“There is nothing ‘playful’ about the serious conversations parents have with their children about the dangers of substance abuse,” said a statement from Seth Leibsohn, chair of Arizonans for Responsible Drug Policy. “It is wholly irresponsible to mock substance abuse—and the hard work done by community preventionists and parents to keep their children safe—as a joke. These billboards should be taken down immediately.”
ARDP points to Colorado, which has seen a 74 percent spike in teens using weed since the state legalized marijuana in 2012, according to an ARDP press release.
“It’s appalling that the pro-legalization side would use Mother’s Day as a hook to promote drug use,” Leibsohn’s statement said. “A new effort in Pueblo, Colorado is seeking to opt out of marijuana commercialization because of what a local medical director called ‘a dramatic increase in newborns who test positive for marijuana along with an increase in teenage suicide attempts.”
This article appears in Apr 28 – May 4, 2016.
No! Cannabis is no where near as dangerous as alcohol, which is poisonous, nor does it carry the same public health burden or risks as tobacco. Laying a “sin” tax on cannabis users is still a punishment for using a substance that never should have been illegal in the first place.
Do not fall for this sham. Demand cannabis be 100% free and clear of all penalties.
Regarding “The Children”,
Let’s not use “The Children” as an excuse to prohibit and criminalize adult use of a natural plant far less dangerous than perfectly legal alcohol because nobody condones child use, and this is about allowing adults only to choose marijuana.
It’s our responsibility as parents by to educate our children on drug use. It’s not the government’s job to force Draconian Marijuana Laws upon every adult citizen under the guise of protecting “The Children”.
What message are we sending our children when it is easier for them to obtain marijuana now with it being illegal than it is for them to buy alcohol?
It doesn’t take the intellect of a genius to understand that stores card kids for I.D. Thugs and gang members do not. They also push the real hard drugs on children. Stores do not.
Marijuana legalization will make it harder for children to obtain it.
What message does it send our children when the President of The United States himself alongside a long list of successful people openly admit regular pot use at one time or another in their lives?
While we tell our kids how it will ruin their futures, and then ensure so, by allowing our government to to jail our children and give them permanent criminal records when they get caught with a little Marijuana. Especially, if they are the wrong skin color or from the “wrong neighborhood”. Which in turn, ruins their chances of employment for life.
The Prohibition of Marijuana is the wrong message to send our children while we glorify, advertise and promote the much more dangerous use of alcohol like it’s an all American pastime.
The worst thing about marijuana and our children is what happens to them when they get caught up in the criminal justice system due to it’s prohibition.
Protect “The Children” and Our Neighborhoods Through The Legalization and Regulation of Marijuana Nationwide!
This is a crock of manure. This Mr. Holyoak is a charlatan to the extreme. I am the older generation There is not one of us that have not been exposed to Marijuana. There is not one of us “profiled” older generation that have not been deluged over the decades about the peril of marijuana. There is not one of us who haven’t heard “Dragnet Sgt Friday’s Marijuana the match, Heroin the fuse, and LSD’s the Bomb” There is not one of us who have had family members using marijuana and seen the results over decades.. And the duality between them, the extreme efforts both sides to profit from this peril.
So we have on one side all the felonies still in place this is the sponge to squeeze between a rock and a hard place really. So If I am to understand This legalize like alcohol is to supplement alcohol or replace? In doing so CLMR hide behind Medical aspects that can attribute to a healthy life.
I remember fully the Vietnam era time how the young were impressionable. Not one of us thought we could be killed maimed all of us young thought we could beat the odds. Some were lucky enough to not go, those that came back were not the same. This is the same kind of sham as vietnam going after the youth.
So this Holyoak wont debate wont meet in a general discussion. What I hear from him is noting but “I’s” . When “I” seen the damage of prosecution of simple possession “I” can help? When “I” see sick children that Marijuana “I” can help. When “I” see the illegal activity done by the illegal drug trade “I” can help. When “I” see the bad product “I” can help. “I” can do this better if we had a bigger market “I” can help. What we need is a complete different autonomous board set up like Indian gaming “I” can help.>>> If this isn’t a Nixon, Hillary type monologue if there ever was one.
Bottom line We dont need a department of Marijuana to sell pot. This is a boondoggle of the first order. I have used Marijuana for over 40 years and I know slick when I smell it. Just acquiring it for over the years you got the feeling of slime at times and I am feeling it here. This CLMRA want more than Marijuana control they want control of Vap store’s which I dont frequent, Smoke shops which I dont frequent, Agriculture of hemp which is not Marijuana. They want a private police force and court called administrative which extends NO personal rights, Just “is” the business running by the rules set by the board ? If the rules are not right then thats another issue that need to be brought to the Administrative court, by the business or the board. This completely eliminates a consumer advocate or the kind oriented to product. (testing)
The Marijuana Card Holder is being fleeced now. Arizona Has the most expensive Marijuana in the country by FARR. They dont give medical consideration on taxes for extreme medical which includes dependency. I have been to Washington to both Medical and recreational in Oregon and the same in California for Medical. I have been to Colorado. I dont mean a weeks visit but months all the dispensaries bud tenders agents growers wonder how Arizona is getting away with it gouging like they are. CLMRA want this to continue and insulate the market from outside competition.
Here is a truth and a reality “Arizona’s Medical Marijuana” program is set up to distribute Marijuana to the public both to the card holder and the non-cardholder.
By doing so they have diminished the local underground dealer selling to the consumer, Making a card holder a impromptu agent for distribution to the consumer.
For this to be set up large amount of capitol was invested independently with no judicial protections for business. Which by now have been recouped 400 time over including excise taxes. It is these possibility of huge profits that the ADA (Arizona Dispensary Association) needs to protect. To do that they have enlisted MPP a lobbing marketing agency from DC.
If this Smoke screen called CLMRA advances to a Department of Marijuana prices will be controlled , the six plants they offer will be plants the board approves, If caught with a plant out of DNA approved by the board. You will be fined heavily civilly like a traffic ticket and loss of tax revenue can be added as well. the Board will require registration to grow 6 plants, but then you will have to sign away personal protections given to every citizen with the purchase or registration that you have six plants.
It is this kind of shady deals that promotes the development of a new board. Existing government agencies better experienced and better equipped than the ADA. ADA wants to avoid these set in place standards. Within these existing state agencies there are rule of conduct and disclosure. These rule’s have been in place to protect the consumer as well as the business. It is these rules that the Department Of Marijuana want to be immune from.
This is the beginning a the new Cartel just ask Chapo Guzman I read his comments he started because he looked around his community and he just wanted to help.
Oh please, teen use has declined in Colorado, ever so slightly, but it is down. Where are they getting this 75% increase stat? Thad put teen use at over 50% in the state. Are these guys morons, or liars?
Legalization is a two edged sword: it greatly reduces the black market and takes funding from the truly evil cartels, it greatly reduces the law enforcement costs and less people are fined or jailed, it provides needed tax revenue for schools and drug abuse initiatives, less drunk driving, however it encourages young people to believe that it is totally safe and there is more stoned driving. I believe that the pluses outweigh the minuses…
“There is nothing ‘playful’ about the serious conversations parents have with their children about the dangers of substance abuse,”
1) drugs don’t cause drug abuse. Some folks can’t use drugs responsibly. But that affliction isn’t caused by drugs. If it was, stopping drug use would cure addiction. It doesn’t. What’s causing the addiction of everyone in narcotics anonymous, the drugs they don’t use??? They’re all clean and sober.
2) who said there was anything playful about the 750,000 lives destroyed by marijuana arrests every year? Prohibitionists want to marginalized the arguments of their political opposition because they can’t counter them.
Only one thing about legalization is the felony repeal of 13-3405 where simple possession 2 1/2 ounces bought marijuana 1 Lb personal can have any kind of marijuana plant available up to 12 viable in flower and 24 in growth state per household.
Cull the availability of pain & suffering medical cards available. How about Spastic & Nerve conditions, Diabetes, Alcoholism, Aids, Crohn’s, Cancers, These should not be taxed let the recreational pave the cost for that. Why should a household that has Crohn’s or spastic nerve conditions pay a huge 45% tax like recreational ? It must be hard extremely to pay $400.00 an ounce weekly at times for some with these ailments and NO ONE is looking for their relief but to say we are helping pay for education.
I will not vote for anything that does not include repeal of AZ statue 13-3405
Brian Kelly : Re; “Access to children” The conclusion you draw that somehow this ” Legalize Like Alcohol ” will limit Marijuana access to children is pure nonsense.
It has been a proven fact ever since the beginning of time, coins with caesar’s face. Who ever had them wanted the most,for the least of them. Yes greed was present there too.
Study after study that any product that have heavy cost attributed. That can be easily undermined will be. Proven studies done over 70 years of both the illegal and legal economies associated with Alcohol and Marijuana. WA St Uni.
/aclu-wa.org/library_files/MarijuanaProhibition.pdf
Remember this BS proposition is not legislation but nothing more than a agreed to plea bargain to commit a limited crime that is all.
If AZ keeps the most expensive Marijuana with the close proximity to Mexico and the Vap market they promoted. There will be more Marijuana and varied products available to children than ever before. for that it dont take a genius to deny takes a fool