Two More Provisions
to protect children if Congress legalizes marijuana.
Legalization proponents’ strategy seems to be to persuade so many states to legalize marijuana that Congress will be forced to change federal law and legalize the drug nationwide. If this happens, all ten provisions that must be in any state or local law that legalizes marijuana must also be included in any federal law that does so. Two additional provisions will add strength to our ability to protect children, adolescents, and young adults from the problems legal marijuana will bring. These are:
11. Marijuana Controlled by FDA
Marijuana placed under the control of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, like tobacco is now.
Why is this needed?
It took 150 years, 100 million tobacco-related deaths, and untold numbers of failed law suits that tried to hold the tobacco industry accountable for premature deaths before Congress was able to say no to industry lobbying and pass the tobacco control act in 2009.
Marijuana smoke contains more carcinogens than tobacco smoke and already causes many mental health and physical health problems. Are we willing to wait 150 years and suffer untold numbers of premature deaths from marijuana-related accidents and diseases? Or should marijuana be placed under the control of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration from the beginning if Congress legalizes marijuana?
This provision will place marijuana under FDA control immediately if Congress legalizes marijuana.