Vote NO On Proposition 207, Do NOT Legalize Marijuana

The Arizona Conservative strongly recommends that voters reject Proposition 207, which proposes to decriminalize marijuana.Legislate Legal Council summarizes Prop 207 as an attempt to allow a person age 21 or older to lawfully possess and use one ounce of marijuana, including not more than five grams of marijuana concentrate (i.e, hashish), as well as up to six marijuana plants at that person's primary residence.For persons under the age of 21, the penalties against illegal possession of marijuana will be reduced to a civil penalty for a first violation, a petty offense for a second violation and a class 1 misdemeanor for subsequent violations.Also, a petition process would be established to expunge law enforcement and court records relating to arrests, charges, adjustments, convictions and sentences for specific marijuana-related drug offenses that occurred before this would go into effectThere is no questioning how easy it would be for people to skirt such weak regulations and how it would undermine past and present law breaking.When California allowed this to happen, it caused environmental damage to forests and rivers due to marijuana plants in the back country.Colorado reports a traffic fatality every 2.5 days involving drivers under the influence of marijuana. No wonder, such drugs can cause hallucinations, paranoia and delusional thinking. It lowers IQs among adults and users drop out of school at higher rates.Multi-national studies revealed a five-fold increase in psychosis among youths who used high-potency marijuana.Advertising pitches purposely target teens, leading to addiction, whose brain development can be damaged by marijuana. Regular use is associated with increased criminal behavior and suicide, along with negative effects on memory, learning and attention.Pie in the sky promises of tax revenues generated from marijuana sales have not materialized in other states foolish enough to go for this. What's more, any tax revenues that are generated from marijuana represent ill-gotten gain based on the backs of people who paid a very severe price for their bad personal decisionsThe net result of marijuana legalization is dumbing down the society and moving the culture backwards. That's why Arizona voters rejected this dangerous proposition in 2016. Reject it again, Arizona.Vote NO.