In the Midwest, they have tornado sirens to warn of imminent danger and destruction. Those sirens are not fear tactics. They are there to save lives. People across the state are trying to do the very same thing in regard to preventing marijuana legalization (HB 639).
We want to thank Celeste Clark for this Contribution – Please direct yours to Editor@GraniteGrok.com.
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Marijuana is a drug, a plain and simple fact. THC is the active part of the marijuana plant that gets people high. Today’s marijuana products can have THC levels as high as 99%. Higher levels of THC can lead to addiction and mental health psychosis. Regular use of marijuana products can lead to a list of medical conditions.
HB 639 to legalize marijuana in the state is bad for our children, aging population, pets, and communities.
Marijuana legalization is a bipartisan issue. It does not matter if you are a Republican or Democrat. Drug use does not pick a party. Addiction does not care about who you vote for.
Thank you to our representatives and senators who do their homework, listen, and understand that marijuana is available for people with qualifying medical conditions and they know that it is decriminalized here, meaning that no one is being arrested for a personal amount of marijuana.
Marijuana is here already. You can smell it in buildings, town halls, the grocery store, the library, and, as scary as it is to think about, in cars driving by.
Legalizing marijuana will only increase access to and use of this drug in its many forms. Most people have no idea that marijuana forms now include dabs, edibles, waxes, shatter, oils, and products appealing to children. In 2022, 19 children under the age of five experienced marijuana poisoning from these products. This is a fact.
Do you think the marijuana industry cares about our children, our pets, or even our senior citizens? These are the populations that will be most affected by allowing full legalization of marijuana in our state.
Do not be fooled by the promises of money. The money will look good at first, but then, after a year or two, the money goes away, the rules get weakened, and chaos ensues.
What will persist are the issues that are everyone’s problem. Drugged driving crashes increase, car insurance rates rise, children and pet poisonings go up, health care costs rise, more young people use marijuana, substance misuse treatment, and mental health care centers’ wait times lengthen, and emergency room waiting times increase for everyone. That is a long list of expenses that will not go away!
Do you think New Hampshire’s already overworked and understaffed healthcare system can afford this?
We hope that most people do not want our high school students to have more access to marijuana. But that is the very result a House member said he was hoping for to a Raymond Coalition For Youth student who is 16.
The student wrote to members of the House asking them to vote no on HB 639. She explained how readily available marijuana already is in high schools across the state and the challenge it presents in the learning environment. The lawmaker’s response was shocking: “Marijuana is a very safe drug with essentially no overdoses in adults. You noted how easy it is to acquire in school. I think that is beneficial as it leads to less alcohol consumption.”
It is hard to fathom that an adult, never mind someone in a leadership position, would say something like this to a high school student. Alcohol and marijuana are equally dangerous. This comment speaks to the need for better education about this dangerous drug to not only children but adults too.
Most citizens do not want marijuana legalized, but newspapers and news stations in this state rarely cover substance misuse prevention information and awareness events. They come out when people are dying, overdosing, or are a public nuisance. Substance misuse prevention is not commonly a front page or top of the newscast story, but prevention is definitely the reason we do not have more of them.
New Hampshire is known to many as a vacation destination for families of all ages. Residents and visitors alike enjoy our mountains, lakes, rivers, streams, and beaches. Yes, we are surrounded by states that have legalized this drug. Let all of this information be a siren to keep New Hampshire an island.
If people want weed so bad, they can go to those other states. Let us keep NH for all of the people who put the health, well-being and safety of our children first. This is much more inviting and attractive to families and those who enjoy the great outdoors and fresh air.
Celeste Clark is the Executive Director for Raymond Coalition For Youth – The Raymond Coalition For Youth empowers the community to promote positive youth development and reduce youth substance use and suicide risk.
