The science is on our side: Measure 80 part 4

  The next portion of the text of Measure 80 lists facts from scientific studies that have been noted by various state courts, and which support the argument that cannabis should be legal.

Whereas the people find that, despite misinformation concocted to justify cannabis prohibition, the courts of Alaska, Hawaii and Michigan have noted presidential commission findings, scientific studies, and learned treatises which:

(a) Characterize cannabis as a relatively nonaddictive and comparatively harmless euphoriant used and cultivated for more than 10,000 years without a single lethal overdose;

(b) Demonstrate that moderate cannabis use causes very little impairment of psychomotor functions; reveal no significant physical, biochemical, or mental abnormalities attributable solely to cannabis use; and that long-term, heavy cannabis users do not deviate significantly from their social peers in terms of mental function;

(c) Disprove the “stepping stone” or “gateway drug” argument that cannabis use leads to other drugs; rather, that lies taught about cannabis, once discovered, destroy the credibility of valid educational messages about moderate and responsible use and valid warnings against other truly dangerous drugs;

(d) Indicate that cannabis users are less likely to commit violent acts than alcohol users, refute the argument that cannabis causes criminal behavior, and suggest that most users avoid aggressive behavior, even in the face of provocation; and

(e) Declare that cannabis use does not constitute a public health problem of any significant dimension; finds no rational basis for treating cannabis as more dangerous than alcohol; and

  Basically, this says that state courts have noted studies which show the following:

     (a)  Cannabis is less addictive than caffeine and there is no known lethal overdose.

     (b)  Moderate cannabis users are functional members of society, and even long-term, heavy users  

            tend to perform as well on tests of mental function as others in their age range.

     (c)  Cannabis is not a gateway drug, but is, in fact, useful as an "exit drug" to help addicts manage

            withdrawal and successfully maintain recovery; if we tell kids that cannabis is dangerous and

            they try it and find out that it's not, they are more likely to believe that the dangers of heroin

            have been overstated as well.

     (d)  People who use cannabis tend to seek peaceful resolutions to problems and to respect the 

            rights and property of others.

     (e)  By any measure, cannabis is safer than alcohol.

Vote Yes on Measure 80