"Marijuana and other cannabis products are inherently dangerous substances, and even with warnings and “regulation,” it is not safe to use or sell or distribute them ... This paper discusses the many harms caused by marijuana use that are amply documented by science."

Drug-reform advocates, doctors, and politicians have initiated a ballot measure, Initiative 1922, to remove the penalties for possessing drugs of any kind in the state of Washington, including cocaine, heroin, and hallucinogenic mushrooms.  Led by a coalition group called Commit to Change WA, the proposed ballot has a budget attached to it with the initiative dedicating $141 million in state funding each year to substance use treatment and prevention.

Oregon’s pioneering drug decriminalization hasn’t led many to seek help, as backers said it would
Chicago Sun Times, April 5, 2022

The effort ‘was presented to the public as pro-treatment, but it has been a complete failure in that regard,’ says Keith Humphreys, a Stanford addiction researcher and former White House drug policy adviser.

SALEM, Ore. — When Oregon voters approved a ballot measure in 2020 to decriminalize hard drugs, they were told the first-in-the-nation effort would also be a way to establish and fund addiction recovery centers to offer those who are addicted help rather than incarceration.

But in the first year since the pioneering effort to decriminalize drugs took effect in February 2021, only 1% of those who were ticketed — rather than arrested — for possessing controlled substances asked for help via the state’s new hotline.

With Oregon being the first state to decriminalize possession of personal-use amounts of heroin, methamphetamine, LSD, oxycodone and other drugs, its program is being watched as a potential model for other states.

‘Total chaos’: Delays dog Oregon’s drug decriminalization law
Oregon Live, April 15, 2022

Oregon has yet to spend nearly $300 million in tax revenue set aside for substance abuse treatment and recovery services under a voter-approved law intended to transform the state’s response to addiction.
So far not a single new treatment bed has been funded since Measure 110′s passage to decriminalize the possession of small amounts of heroin and other street drugs and set up a system to refer and treat those suffering from addiction.

Decriminalization? Study shows just one percent of drug users ask for treatment as overdose deaths soar
USSA News, Apr 30, 2022

In Oregon, only 1 percent of people who received citations for possessing hard drugs asked for treatment. Half showed up for court.
State health officials have reported 473 unintentional opioid overdose deaths from January to August 2021, the vast majority of those occurring after decriminalization took effect.
An overview of mental health and addiction within the national offender population.

Article
I hosted a television show interviewing former offenders who fought their addictions and won. They were an inspiration.
Before the show, we discussed addiction and what it really means. They told me of a story where heroin laced with other drugs was killing addicts and sending many to the emergency room. During a police chase, the dealer threw out a large quantity of the drugs. The city put out a notice asking people to help them find the package before others died or became sick.

The “Colorado Experiment”: Legalized Marijuana’s Impact in Colorado
By David W. Murray, The Hudson Institute, June 28, 2021

The state of Colorado has been offered up by many policy makers as a test case regarding the wisdom of drug legalization. Colorado has permitted “medical” marijuana sales since 2009, and it allowed for outright commercialization (“recreational use”), as permitted by the Obama administration, since 2014.

Drug legalization advocates have consistently invited the nation, particularly states considering following the Colorado model, to view the state as a real-world “experiment,” demonstrating the benefits or harms of legalized drugs. But beyond the first blush of enthusiasm claiming that “the sky hasn’t fallen” as a result of unhindered access to marijuana, there have been few media accounts citing actual data about how Colorado is faring.

The road is rockier than many believe. In fact, given the preponderance of glowing testimonials from advocates, it may come as a surprise that this month, a quiet resistance to legalization burst into the open. The event was the passage of state bill H 1317, which applies limits to the state’s medical marijuana industry. Passing with strong bipartisan majorities in both houses of the state legislature, the bill was recently signed into law ...

See also H-1317 press conference video: Colorado House Bill 21-1317, “Regulating Marijuana Concentrates.” Press Conference, 5/18/2021

July 2019

Clark County Council lifts ban on marijuana commercialization
Councilors Julie Olson, John Blom and Temple Lentz vote to lift ban
 
After an evening of tremendous, life affirming (anti marijuana) testimony, the three pro pot councilors, Julie Olson, John Blom and Temple Lentz, still lifted the Clark County ban in the unincorporated areas. Next step is to remove at least one of them from office, like San Diego did, and re-enact the ban.

The unincorporated county precincts voted solidly against marijuana. Why did council seek to impose commercialization? The law allows local jurisdictions to ban it. The scant tax revenues, that do little to mitigate social costs, don't seem a likely reason. This seems to be about forcing Vancouver ideology and policy onto conservative Clark County, political imperialism.

Chronic State Video
By Drug Free Idaho

July 2018: If you have any doubts about the harm normalizing drug use brings to society, watch this brand new video by Drug Free Idaho.  It's a powerful production that documents and demonstrates the wide ranging effects legalizing marijuana has on local communities.  It's called Chronic State and it's very well done.  Marijuana is a dangerous drug!  We don't want to facilitate marijuana marketing in our local jurisdictions. 

Chronic State from DrugFree Idaho, Inc. on Vimeo.