Category Archives: Editorial

Editorial, Featured

Opinion: Is Drug Use a Victimless Crime?

By Ron Cuff, originally published in the Paso Robles Daily News

Three Heritage Ranch residents were recently charged by San Luis Obispo County District Attorney Dan Dow with the tragic death of a 7-month old infant due to methamphetamine and fentanyl poisoning. On June 4th in Indianapolis, Crystal Martin admitted before a court to giving her three-year-old son Johnathan Johnson two 100mg pills of Zoloft, an antidepressant drug, before leaving him unsupervised to play near a creek, where he was found face down in four feet of water. Continue reading Opinion: Is Drug Use a Victimless Crime? →

Editorial

Koch-backed group joins push for marijuana legalization

For years George Soros spent a fortune, as much as $100 -200 million, promoting marijuana legalization.  However, public outrage against money in politics usually targets the Koch Brothers. David Koch died in 2019, but Charles Koch remains, and the Koch brand is now behind marijuana legalization, too. 

The Koch Brothers’ group, Americans for Prosperity, recently joined efforts with other cannabis activist groups.  This new coalition includes the libertarian Reason Foundation and the Weldon Project, named for a drug dealer pardoned by President Trump. 

Marijuana legalization goes against science and proves to be failed policy on every level. Continue reading Koch-backed group joins push for marijuana legalization →

Editorial

A Founding father of legal reveals regrets

Excerpts from PERSPECTIVE, published in The Colorado Springs Gazette, April 4, 2021

Editor’s note: Robert Corry played a prominent and pivotal role in the movement to legalize marijuana in Colorado. The University of Colorado graduate and Stanford-trained lawyer helped draft groundbreaking Amendment 64 on Colorado’s 2012 statewide ballot — permitting production and retail sales of recreational pot. Corry also designed and implemented the dispensary framework for patients and caregivers under Amendment 20, enacted by the state’s voters in 2000 to allow medical use of marijuana. As a trial attorney, he represented hundreds of clients accused of marijuana-related offenses, and he litigated cases and administrative actions involving Amendment 64’s implementation. Yet, nearly a decade after voter approval of his handiwork, he now professes deep disappointment and wide-ranging regrets. In today’s Perspective, he issues a searing indictment of how legalization has turned out. He decries the legal marijuana industry’s “crony” capitalism and its cozy relationship with government. He lets on, “I wish I could be proud of what we created, but I’m not. The outcome of 64 is shameful, hurts people, and Colorado is not ‘safer.’ ”

We started with the best of intentions. Colorado Amendment 64, which I helped draft, made three Continue reading A Founding father of legal reveals regrets →

Editorial

Pot Revenue for At-Risk Kids is a BAD idea

A version of this letter ran in the Richmond Times Dispatch

In Kathy Glazer of the Virginia Early Childhood Foundation’s recent column, she mentions that the Virginia General Assembly is going to devote 40% of tax revenues from marijuana sales to fund pre-school services for “at risk” toddlers.

Parental drug use is one of the lifestyle choices that puts children at risk to begin with. Marijuana triggers mood disorders which impair parenting ability and often leads to child abuse. The drug is widely known for causing Amotivational syndrome which can lead to unemployability or job loss.

Marijuana is an addictive drug which is totally incompatible with child rearing responsibilities.

What if the parents of the children are buying the marijuana and not properly caring for the children because of it?  Parents Opposed to Pot is tracking news reports of marijuana-related cases of child abuse and neglect leading to death of a child. Just since Colorado legalized recreational pot we have found 250 such tragedies, around the nation.

Emergency rooms in pot legal states are reporting dramatic increases of child poisoning cases due to parents leaving marijuana edibles out and accessible to their young.

Marijuana in the home is encouraging more youth use. Kids are falling prey to early addiction both because of their adult role models and easy access. We need to stop trying to justify legalization for the tax revenues, especially in the case where the funds are directed toward at-risk youth. Instead, Virginia citizens and our political leaders need to closely examine the unintended consequences in the states that have already made the mistake of commercializing a mind-altering drug.

Marijuana legalization is a sure way to fracture more families and put more children at risk.

Submitted by: Parents Opposed to Pot