The Stanislaus County Insider
Dear Governor Swarzenegger:
I am shocked that as Governor of California you would even entertain the idea of legalization of marijuana, a Schedule I drug that is banned by federal law because it is harmful, addictive and has never passed the FDA rules for safety and efficacy of a medicine.
If California wants to remain part of the United States, you particularly, all elected officials need to adhere to their oath of office to remain loyal to the Constitution and accept that federal law is the highest law of the land.
Producing and taxing marijuana a substance that contributes heavily to death, human suffering and enormous tax consequences for all Americans would reduce California to the same status of other third world countries who base their economy on drugs of mass destruction. If that is the only way California can survive, then we deserve to live in poverty.
From an economic standpoint, legalization is also a ridiculous scenario. The purported billion in additional tax revenues, if one truly believes they could tax the cartels and other criminals who are growing pot in our State since Prop 215, would be minuscule compared to the additional damages to health, education, crime, welfare, child/family assistance, et.al.. You can look at the 2001 CASA study called Shoveling Up: The Impact of Substance Abuse on State Budgets to observe that substance abuse accounts for 16% of the State budget. Or refer to past statements by former Attorney General Lockyer that indicated the figure doubled to over $30 billion when considering lost productivity.
If you want to fix the budget, then you and the Legislature need to finally, pray God, consider that preventing substance abuse could literally save California tens of billions of dollars annually. Marijuana isn't the only drug, legal or illegal, that contributes to the problem of substance abuse, but it ranks right up there near the top. It is a major factor in the 24.2% high school drop out rate which costs $46.4 billion annually ($392,000 per drop out), and targets 1 of 4 young people in a catergory where they will be largely unemployable, and turn to crime to exist. 80% of inmates are high school drop outs.
Since you have been in office, my colleagues and I who have over thirty years of experience in drug prevention, have urged you and the legislature to reduce the cost to taxpayers and improve the lives and productivity of our citizens by preventing the onset of substance abuse where it almost always starts, with kids. The only outcome we have observed are additional taxes; in your own words, a "historic bipartisan solution" to the $42 billion budget crisis. COST REDUCTION THROUGH PREVENTION IS A VIABLE CONCEPT that demands your attention as well as the legislators'.
As recently as yesterday, I read a summation of the California Senate that random drug testing welfare recipients would cost too much, and the money would be better spent on treatment. THAT IS OUTRAGEOUS!
First of all, random drug testing can cost as little as $2 to $3 per test. If a person tests positive, you can withold funds, or have them pay for a confirmation test. Secondly, the concept that we should allow people to become afflicted with the disease and subsidize their drug use through welfare payments, as opposed to preventing it to begin with or forcing people into treatment, violates all of your collective responsibilities to protect the people, and manage our tax dollars intelligently.
As a parent of two step children whose lives were destroyed by drugs at age 12 and 14 years old 29 years ago, I am apalled to observe that in all those years the leadership of California has done nothing significant to protect other young people from a similar fate. In many cases the California legislature has attempted to shape corrupt legislation based on financial contributions that flow from out-of-state billionaire George Soros, who functions as the spearhead for illicit drugs throughout the world, as opposed to protective legislation based on scientific evidence.
The current situation is untenable. In my opinion, you and the Legislators need to reaffirm and uphold your vows to the Constitution, or or behalf of all Americans the federal government should intervene more heavily to enforce federal laws and impose economic sanctions on California by witholding federal funds for education, health care, crime, et.al.
Sincerely
Roger D. Morgan
Californians For Drug-Free Schools
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