We are fortunate to know Monte Stiles and appreciate all his efforts to help keep our young people healthy. Here is a note from Monte, with some good news to share from his home state, Idaho. Thanks Monte for all your hard work in Prevention!
Friends, I am very happy to report that the second of two miraculous things happened in Idaho today.
The first occurred a few weeks ago when New Approach Idaho was forced to withdraw their petition to legalize pot from the November ballot. This happened after the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) was alerted to the fact that New Approach was deceptively misrepresenting their position on legalization. AAP subsequently sent a letter demanding that New Approach “cease and desist” from using their organization’s name in the petition. Because New Approach used this deceptive information to gather signatures, they likely realized that all of the signatures gathered to date could be invalidated. The withdrawal of this petition potentially saved us from six months of fighting the propaganda of pro-pot lobbyists. Now we will have another year to continue our education of the public before another pot campaign begins.
The second wonderful development is that the Idaho legislature adjourned today without a single marijuana bill being introduced. While most states are battling numerous pro-pot bills, our legislature did not expend a single minute discussing bad law, bad medicine, and bad pubic policy. Consequently, our citizens (and especially our children) were not subjected to months of hearing that a crude street is medicine.
I attribute both of these results to the following:
Despite a medical marijuana bill passing last year, our governor, Butch Otter, vetoed the bill in favor of establishing an expanded access program for pediatric victims of epilepsy through an FDA-approved clinical trial of Epidiolex (a pure form of CBD provided without charge by GW Pharmaceuticals). The program is helping children through a carefully controlled study that is supervised by medical experts who can accurately measure both beneficial and potentially harmful effects – all while advancing medical research that will aid many others in the future. The GW study is in its third stage of a fast tracked FDA research program.
The governor’s courageous actions, and the progress of the clinical trial, likely dissuaded certain legislators from proposing another uncontrolled medi-pot bill that would have cost millions of dollars and created additional massive bureaucracies in order to implement a law that would subject children and adults to modern snake oil salesmen with no medical training or background (the same people who give “medicine” names such as Green Crack, 9 Pound Hammer, and OG Rush).
Much credit should also be given to the governor’s Office of Drug Policy, the Community Coalitions of Idaho, numerous drug education coalitions across the state (including amazing youth leaders), law enforcement agencies, prosecutors, city and county associations, and other organizations and individuals who have devoted significant time in educating the general public and the legislature, all while having genuine compassion and concern for those who suffer immensely from certain conditions that may soon be improved through pure, safe, and effective medical advances that have gone through established medical research procedures. Science will replace a popular vote that is influenced by those who cynically use the plight of the innocent to advance their political objectives.
We realize that our work is not done. Great effort will be necessary to counter the undoing of decades of drug education by pro-pot billionaires and their national lobbying organizations. Additional facts need to be gathered, and more importantly, effectively communicated to every voter and legislator using new tools and strategies. These strategies must include renewing the public’s faith in drug education programs which are encouraged and financially supported by leaders who envision public enlightenment over surrender to the drug culture. Increased drug education, combined with effective and fair law enforcement efforts and advanced medical research, is a vastly superior alternative to simply joining the other side.
The reaction of the Marijuana Policy Project, which has invested over $13 million in recent years to sell a lie, is evidenced by the email they sent out today. The arguments and tactics of MPP and other national pro-pot lobbying organizations are predictable and refutable, and the evidence to do so is mounting. If states considering legalization would simply look at the history of these groups, and judge their credibility based upon their history of questionable tactics, disinformation, and financial investments to dramatically change drug policies, they would not rely on anything these groups say.
I hope that other states will have similar success in the future as we continue to fight for healthy kids, families, and communities. Sober children learn better, sober parents parent better, sober drivers drive better, and sober people live happier and healthier lives.
The world is an amazing place full of wonderful people, beautiful landscapes, fascinating creatures, and boundless opportunities and adventures. In the end, all of this is infinitely more satisfying than anything that the drug culture can offer. Monte