Grady Judd: Proposed ballot initiative: Marijuana a bad drug that can lead to addiction, traffic deaths; proponents want to legalize drug altogether

IT'S A SHAM: Pot a bad drug that can lead to addiction, traffic deaths; proponents want to legalize drug altogether

If you thought the medical marijuana initiative was intended to truly help those debilitated by serious diseases, think again. If that were the case, authors of the proposed constitutional amendment would not have included a truck-sized loophole in the definition of debilitating diseases qualifying a person to legally smoke pot.

The loophole changes the word disease into “condition.” And what constitutes a valid “condition?” Any condition where the “use of marijuana would likely outweigh the potential health risks” of someone who claimed to be sick.

In other states that have passed similar fraudulent marijuana initiatives, people who alleged minor ailments, such as muscle spasms, neck pain, back pain and even menstrual cramps have qualified for government-sanctioned pot smoking.

The “medical marijuana” initiative is a sham — it is all about getting the camel’s nose under the tent of deceived voters to legalize marijuana in Florida. This is straight out of the pot legalization play book from other states. Yet I believe Floridians are smarter than pot-promoting hucksters think.

Major medical organizations including the American Medical Association, American Cancer Society and American Academy of Ophthalmology have agreed marijuana has not been proven as a safe or effective form of medicine.

Florida recently and successfully battled a prescription drug epidemic revolving around oxycodone abuse, and now people are calling for the legalization in Florida of medical marijuana — a drug with the potential to ultimately create a revolving door culture of abuse.

As sheriff, I cannot support any such proposal.

The Drug Enforcement Agency classification lists marijuana as a highly addictive drug bearing no proven medical value — declaring marijuana is a harmful drug. THC, the active chemical ingredient of marijuana, affects areas of the brain that control the body’s movements, balance, coordination, memory and judgment. Use of marijuana has shown to contribute to increased injuries and deaths from impaired driving and, out of the 20 states with the highest rates of drugged driving, 15 of them had legislation passed or ballot initiatives increasing access to pot.

I’m sure many of you have heard the radio commercials featuring attorney John Morgan, attempting to gain a sympathy vote by telling you medical marijuana can help fight diseases such as cancer, AIDS, ALS and glaucoma. Morgan’s position is rejected by medical professionals.

Who are you going to believe? Knowledgeable and respectable physicians, or a personal injury attorney who stands to make millions of dollars from future lawsuits based on torts by those using marijuana or injured by those using marijuana?

Medical marijuana in Florida will perpetuate the same situation that came about from pill mills — unprincipled doctors authorizing anyone who pays them the ability to purchase pot, regardless of whether they have a valid medical condition.

Keep in mind, drug-related traffic crashes steadily increased in Florida from 2008 to 2011 with 1,556 drug-related injuries and 190 drug-related fatalities in 2011.

Allowing medical marijuana will generate a cycle of problems. Teens will have marijuana readily available, creating the potential of addiction; while industrial accidents could create an increase in workers’ compensation cases. Floridians could find property values decrease in areas where pot shops and production occur.

There are also long-term effects of marijuana that must be considered. According to the Office of National Drug Control Policy, approximately 1 in 11 people who use marijuana become dependent on the drug. It has been shown teens who smoke marijuana are more likely to engage in delinquent and dangerous behavior than teens who do not. Continued use is associated with respiratory illness and cognitive impairment. Additionally, states that have passed medical marijuana laws have experienced increased crime rates since passing the legislation.

Lawmakers and law enforcement have worked tirelessly to get Florida’s crime rate to its current 42-year low. Let’s not roll back that progress by legalizing a drug with no accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse.

Join with your Florida sheriffs and other law enforcement agencies, those who have seen firsthand the tragedies associated with marijuana abuse, as we fight this initiative. Florida needs to send a clear message to those who want to legalize this dangerous drug by misleading the voters and abusing their sympathy, “No we will not be duped, and no we do not want to legalize marijuana!”