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To say that I am deeply concerned that the State of California is considering legalizing marijuana is a huge understatement to me. Have we not seen a huge decline in our morals and our standards as a country already and now we the citizens of California have to vote as to whether or not this addictive, mind altering chemical should be legalized? Are you serious? This is just one more ploy our government is using to get more money from the citizens through taxation giving little to no credence to the decay of peoples lives and the further decay it will create to our society as a whole. And to think that these politicians will expect drug dealers to get their books out each month to determine how much they owe in taxes is laughable.

No one in their right mind can honestly say that the use of marijuana is good for the mind, body or soul! There may be a moment of pleasure, but ultimately it will hurt anyone that chooses to use it. When a person uses this drug there is a chemical called THC that passes rapidly from the lungs into the bloodstream, which carries the chemical to the brain and other organs throughout the body. The THC chemical that goes to the brain creates the "high" that people experience when they smoke marijuana. The use of this drug effect the parts of the brain that influences pleasure, memory, thoughts, concentration, sensory and time perception, and coordinated movement. It can cause distorted perceptions, difficulty thinking and problem solving, and problems with learning and memory.

A number of studies have shown an association between chronic marijuana use and increased rates of anxiety, depression, and suicidal thoughts. Research has also found that the use of marijuana has the potential to cause problems in a person's daily life or make a person's existing problems worse. It impairs several important measures of life including physical and mental health, cognitive abilities, social life, and career status. Several studies associate workers' marijuana smoking with increased absences, tardiness, accidents, workers' compensation claims and job turnover. All of these items mentioned hurts and even destroys the lives of those that both use it but also their loved ones that have to watch them use destroy their lives. It is also important to know that this is also the gateway drug to other, even more destructive drugs that further the decay of a person's life, their loved ones as well as our society as a whole.
 
When you read this information do you think...wow, that's great! Sign me up? Emphatically the answer is no! Would you want these side affects for your mother, would you want these side affects for your son, would you want these side affects for anyone that you love? The answer is no.
 
I am asking you and I am pleading with you to NOT allow this to happen. If it does, crime will go up, people’s lives will be destroyed and our society as a whole will continue to plummet. Please, let’s not go down this road. It is a road that leads to no where.
 
Kelly Thompson.
Turlock.