Laserfiche WebLink
Americaw Yieuis on Legalizing lVarijuana,by Age <br /> 'W Yes,legal No,illeg.d <br /> i8 kn.29 year+ 67 31 <br /> 3 o to 49 years 62 35 <br /> no to 4y-ars -,o <br /> 65+years 45 53 <br /> Oct.3-6,2013 <br /> GALLUP <br /> This data gives a very strong indication that support of legalization is overwhelming with the younger <br /> generations. Now we consider the age demographics in Kittitas County: <br /> Persons under 18 years, percent, 2012 17.8% <br /> Persons 65 years and over, percent, 2012 13.9% <br /> So in Kittitas County, you see a declining population of anti-marijuana voters versus a much larger <br /> number of younger people coming into the vote that are solidly for legalization. Based on these numbers, <br /> it cannot be argued that this community should have any significant problem accepting a more <br /> progressive marijuana policy—now and especially in the future. <br /> Social Consequences of 1-502 <br /> There has been a misunderstanding among some citizens who are concerned that`legalized marijuana' <br /> represents a dangerous free for all policy regarding this substance. Nothing could be further from the <br /> truth in regards to 1-502 as for the first time rules and regulations can be applied by the government to <br /> carefully control its use and distribution. Emotional fears such as rampant abuse and use by children are <br /> unsupported by fact, logic and any known example. <br /> Of course we can look at our own history of Alcohol prohibition as a horrific failure. This policy had no <br /> effect on alcohol consumption, was impossible to enforce and only fueled the growth of organized crime. <br /> Certainly the prohibitionists had positive goals in mind, but good intentions do not make good public <br /> policy. <br /> What is most relevant to consider is the impact of progressive policy in recent times. The best opportunity <br /> to evaluate this strategy is to look at Portugal and the Netherlands which have embraced legalization in <br /> order to minimize the social impact of marijuana use <br /> "Compared to the European Union and the U.S., Portugal's drug use numbers are impressive. Following <br /> decriminalization, Portugal had the lowest rate of lifetime marijuana use in people over 15 in the E.U.: <br /> 10%. The most comparable figure in America is in people over 12: 39.8%. Proportionally, more <br /> Americans have used cocaine than Portuguese have used marijuana." <br /> Read more:Decriminalizing Drugs in Portugal a Success,Says Report- <br /> TIME http://content.time.cornthme/health/article/0,8599,1893946,OO.htmi#ixzz2ro7ywH00 <br />