In November, 2008 the voters of Massachusetts will face Ballot Question 2, an initiative petition funded primarily by billionaire George Soros that seeks to decriminalize the possession of small amounts of marijuana. [1]   The eleven Massachusetts District Attorneys, the Massachusetts Chiefs of Police and Massachusetts Sheriffs unanimously oppose this measure for the following reasons and urge the public to reject it.

[1] This initiative petition is sponsored by the Committee for Sensible Marijuana Policy, a political action group funded primarily by billionaire financier George Soros; the MA Office of Campaign and Political Finance indicates that Soros contributed $400,000 of the group's total revenues of $429,049 as of December 31, 2007.   Some of the group's members are the same as those who, in the year 2000 under a different name, advocated for Ballot Question 8, which would have deferred many drug dealers, including some repeat offenders, into treatment instead of criminal sanctions.   That measure was soundly defeated at the polls.  


1. The law we have now IS a sensible marijuana policy.

The Commonwealth's laws governing the possession of marijuana are fair and reasonable.   General Laws Chapter 94C, section 34 requires that a first-time drug offender be placed on probation and that, at the successful conclusion of probation, "the case shall be dismissed and the record shall be sealed."

2. Decriminalization of marijuana will increase its availability and use, and send a message to adolescents that smoking dope is normal behavior.

The District Attorneys ask Massachusetts parents, "Do you really want to encourage your kids to smoke dope?"  

Note that the proposed petition decriminalizes the possession of up to an ounce of marijuana; consequently, any person may carry and use marijuana at any time, thus "normalizing" its use.  

Decriminalization will reverse a recently documented positive trend in youth marijuana use:  

* Past year use of marijuana among 8th graders significantly declined from 11.7 percent in 2006 to 10.3 percent in 2007, and is down from its 1996 peak of 18.3 percent.  

* Annual prevalence of marijuana use has fallen by 33 percent among 8th-graders, 25 percent among 10th-graders, and 14 percent among 12th-graders since 2001.  

* Disapproval of trying marijuana "once or twice," smoking marijuana "occasionally," or smoking marijuana "regularly" increased significantly among 8th-graders from 2006 to 2007, and remained stable for 10th- and 12th-graders for the same period.  

o Source: Infofacts: High School and Youth Trends, National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), 2007.  



3. Marijuana use is hazardous to public safety and public health

There is a direct link between marijuana use and criminal activity

* A significant percentage of male arrestees test positive for marijuana:

     o 42% of all males arrested in Omaha
41% of all males arrested in Chicago
35% of all males arrested in San Diego



*Source: Consortium of Alcohol & Substance Abuse Services, Drug Abuse Alert: Marijuana Can Mess You Up ... and Burn You Out.
* The criminal justice system is the largest single source of referral to drug treatment programs.  (Note: This does not pertain exclusively to marijuana users.

*Source: Marijuana Myths & Facts, The Truth Behind 10 Popular Misconceptions, Office of National Drug Control Policy, 2005.

There is a direct link between marijuana use and motor vehicle crashes

* Marijuana use impairs drivers, especially their coordination and balance, and alters a driver's sense of time and distance.
* Smoking marijuana is often combined with drinking alcohol, which further impairs motor skills and increases the risk of accidents.
o Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Research Report Series - Marijuana Abuse. 2005.
* Even a moderate amount of marijuana impairs driving performance, particularly reaction time, and how often drivers checked the rear and side-view mirrors, side streets, the relative speed of other drivers.

o Source: Marijuana Myths & Facts, The Truth Behind 10 Popular Misconceptions, Office of National Drug Control Policy, 2005.
* Data concerning shock-trauma patients involved in auto crashes reveals that 15% had been smoking marijuana, and another 17% had both marijuana and alcohol in their blood.

o Source: Marijuana Myths & Facts, The Truth Behind 10 Popular Misconceptions, Office of National Drug Control Policy, 2005.
* Marijuana is the second most prevalent substance found in impaired drivers (alcohol is the most prevalent).
o Source: DEA Street Smart Prevention Website, Driving While High on Marijuana.
* Marijuana users are 10 times more likely to be injured, or to injure others, in automobile crashes.  A marijuana user's risk of an auto crash is increased whether or not they use marijuana immediately preceding the crash.

o Source: DEA Street Smart Prevention Website, Driving While High on Marijuana, citing a scientific study in New Zealand published in Addiction, 2005.

* According to U.S. government surveys regarding adolescent drug use patterns, approximately 600,000 high school seniors drive after smoking marijuana, and 38,000 seniors admit to crashing the car while under the influence of marijuana.

o Source: DEA Street Smart Prevention Website, Driving While High on Marijuana.
* Surveys conducted by MADD and Liberty Mutual Insurance Company indicate that 41% of teenagers are not concerned to drive after smoking marijuana.

o Source: DEA Street Smart Prevention Website, Driving While High on Marijuana.
* Statistics indicate that annually, approximately 36 million people drive under the influence of alcohol, marijuana, or another illegal drug.
o Source: Marijuana Myths & Facts, The Truth Behind 10 Popular Misconceptions, Office of National Drug Control Policy, 2005.

There is a direct link between marijuana use and public health

* Marijuana contains nearly five times more carbon monoxide and three times as much tar as regular cigarettes. Marijuana smoke contains 50% more cancer-causing materials than tobacco smoke.

o Source: Consortium of Alcohol & Substance Abuse Services, Drug Abuse Alert: Marijuana Can Mess You Up...and Burn You Out.  U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Research Report Series - Marijuana Abuse. 2005. [a]

[a] Health effects of carbon monoxide: when inhaled, it decreases the blood's oxygen-carrying capacity, depriving the organs and muscles of oxygen.  To try to get more oxygen, the heart has to work much harder, therefore increasing the risk of a heart attack or heart failure.  Also, more red blood cells are produced, which causes the blood to become thicker and sticky, resulting in increased fatty deposits that lead to blood clots, strokes and heart attacks.

[a] Health effects of tar: Tar is a thick, sticky mixture of chemicals that cause cancer. Tar irritates lung tissue and paralyses its natural cleaning mechanism, which leads to chronic chest/respiratory problems including lung cancer, emphysema and chronic pulmonary disease.  Tar is also absorbed into the bloodstream and carried around the body.

There is a direct link between marijuana use and workplace safety:
* The rate of industrial accidents among marijuana users is more than 50% higher than among non-users. The health and safety of coworkers and the general public are at risk when workers test positive for marijuana.

o Source: How Does Marijuana Use Affect School, Work and Social Life?, National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), 2005.
* A study among postal workers found that employees who tested positive for marijuana on a pre-employment urine drug test had 55 percent more industrial accidents, 85 percent more injuries, and a 75 percent increase in absenteeism compared with those who tested negative for marijuana use.

o Source: How Does Marijuana Use Affect School, Work and Social Life?, National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), 2005.