PHOENIX, Ariz. – Arizonans for Health and Public Safety (AZHPS) is announcing its formation to oppose the legalization of recreational marijuana in Arizona and keep marijuana medical.
“Voters decided recreational marijuana was bad for Arizona in 2016 and it’s still bad in 2020,” says Lisa James, chairwoman of AZHPS. “We’ve seen from states like California, Colorado, and Washington that legalization of recreational marijuana makes roads less safe for our families, leads to increased teen use which can affect brain development, and encourages the black market. Arizona can’t afford to take this unnecessary risk. Arizonans who need marijuana for medical purposes can already get it under our current legal medical marijuana laws. Let’s keep it that way.”
In Colorado, marijuana related traffic deaths skyrocketed 109% after legalization. In California, the black market is still more than double legal sales. And in Washington, the state’s Traffic Commission reports that drivers testing positive for marijuana now comprise about 12% of all drivers involved in fatal crashes.
Use by minors ages 12 and over is higher in states that have legalized recreational marijuana, according to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health data and SAMHSA. The use of marijuana by pregnant women has also increased, leading to newborns testing positive for THC.
“We’ve had another fouregalization of recreational marijuana has harmed states like California, Colorado, and Washington.” James continued. “We can’t let this happen to Arizona. We’re still waiting to see if this flawed proposition makes it to the ballot, but Arizonans can rest assured that we will oppose any efforts to legalize recreational marijuana in our state. It’s just not worth the risk.”
