Letter from Chief Johnnie Torres

PAID POLITICAL ADVERTISEMENT:

Citizens of Stockbridge:

I am writing today as a citizen of this great state, a father, and your Chief of Police to encourage all the readers to vote NO on Proposal 18-1, which would legalize marijuana. While the 100-word ballot proposal sounds relatively harmless, the complete 16-page proposal contains many provisions that will be detrimental to our youth, public safety, and our community.

Under Proposal 18-1, the possession limit will be 10-ounces (300-600 joints) which is 1,000 percent higher than nearly every other state that has legalized marijuana. In addition, a person can grow up to 12 plants. This growing can and will take place in your neighborhood. All this excess marijuana will cause an explosion in the black market, which contrary to public statements, has expanded in every other state that has legalized marijuana. Colorado and Washington have already documented foreign cartels moving in to traffic marijuana.

Another serious problem will be stoned drivers on our highways. There is no simple test to prove driving under the influence of marijuana. It requires an officer who has received specialized Drug Recognition Expert training and there are only about 75 such trained officers in the entire state. Unlike driving under the influence of alcohol, which has a set limit, marijuana metabolizes differently in each person. In Colorado, marijuana traffic-related deaths have more than doubled since legalization. Every state that has legalized marijuana is experiencing increased marijuana-related traffic crashes and deaths.

However, the most serious negative consequence would be the impact upon our children. Today’s marijuana is not the “Woodstock Weed” many of us grew up around. Much of the marijuana today has a THC content 10 to 45 times higher than the marijuana of the 1960s.

Countless studies have confirmed that smoking marijuana can cause permanent brain damage when consumed by those under 25 years of age. States that have legalized recreational marijuana have seen an increase in youth marijuana use, and Colorado is now ranked #1 in the nation for “past month marijuana use” (up from #4 in 2011/2012 and #14 in 2005/2006).

Legalized marijuana is opposed by numerous community, school, health, and faith-based organizations, including Michigan Catholic Conference, NAACP of Detroit, Detroit Wayne Mental Health Authority, Michigan Association of Treatment Court Professionals, and Families Against Narcotics.

Please DO the research and then vote NO on Proposal 18-1.

Sincerely,

Chief Johnnie Torres