Our View

Our View

Questionable value to marijuana, casino amendments

Yes, it’s true politics does make strange bed fellows and yes, Democrats and Republicans can actually agree to work together over certain issues, such as their opposition to a proposed constitutional amendment that would authorize three casinos in Arkansas, southwest and northwest.

Surprisingly, 40 state lawmakers, 29 Republicans, 10 Democrats and even an independent, say they are backing the Committee to Protect Arkansas’ Values/Stop Casinos Now. This is the same group that has filed a lawsuit challenging the casino proposal.

Among those lawmakers is Sen. Keith Ingram, D-West Memphis. Let’s also point out that Southland Park Gaming and Racing in West Memphis and Oaklawn Racing and Gaming in Hot Springs have come out in support of the committee’s efforts against the proposed amendment.

From a strictly political aspect, it is clear that opposing lawmakers seem to represent just about every point on the political spectrum, which one lawmakers described as “an idea about the breadth and depth of opposition to this proposal.”

Based on the way the proposed amendment reads, if approved by votes, the measure would amend the Arkansas Constitution, which currently bans casino gambling, to allow one casino each to operate in Washington, Boone and Miller counties.

The casinos, we’re told, would be operated by limited liability companies. Arkansas Wins in 2016, the group sponsoring the proposal, has said Cherokee Nation Entertainment, which owns and operates nine casinos in Oklahoma and is building a 120th, has agreed to operate the casino in Washington County.

Let’s be clear here by saying the anti-casino group is supported by Oaklawn and Southland, both of which are allowed under Arkansas law to operate “games of skill,” and opposition has nothing whatsoever to do with protecting the tracks from competition.

Let’s also point out that when the Arkansas Constitution was amended to allow “games of skill” at Oaklawn and Southland it had to be finalized by voters. Local control is something that would be non-existent in the creation of these proposed casinos.

A spokesman for Arkansas Wins in 2016 contradicted the claim the proposal would not have local control and said a gaming commission would be created to regulate the casinos. Furthermore, the spokesman said the Legislature would have an oversight role in implementing the measure and that local governments would have some control as well.

Typically, lawmakers don’t usually don’t unify like this to oppose a citizen’s initiative, but because they feel this will have such an adverse impact on the state we question why they aren’t also joining Gov. Asa Hutchinson and representatives of several Arkansas hospitals and medical organizations in opposing two ballot initiatives legalizing medical marijuana.

Among those joining the governor include state Surgeon General Dr. Greg Bledsoe and representatives of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, the Arkansas Medical Society, the Arkansas Hospital Association, the Family Physician Association, the Pharmacy Association, Arkansas Children’s Hospital, the Arkansas Center for Health Improvement, the state Department of Health and Arkansas Heart Hospital.

It is difficult to disagree with all of these organizations in the fact there is not sufficient demonstrated evidence to warrant the recommendation for use of marijuana in the face of known harmful side effects.

Both marijuana initiatives as well as this casino initiative should be soundly defeated this November and voters need to fully understand what these lawmakers and professional medical experts have to say about them.