Our View

Our View

Lawmakers strangely silent on pot legalization initiatives

Isn’t it interesting, with all hubbub going on over a couple of proposed marijuana amendments that will appear on the upcoming November election we don’t hear much about, if anything, just how our elected lawmakers feel about this situation.

After all, if either or both of these initiatives gain the approval of the majority of Arkansas voters these are the elected representatives in Little Rock who will be directly involved in implementation, setting the guidelines as well as determining just exactly who and where this currently illegal substance will be peddled.

There are clearly strong views on these attempts to legalize “pot” for supposedly medical purposes with the latest opposition coming from an impressive group that has formed to convince voters to soundly reject such legalization for any reason. It is hoped that this group’s influence will show just exactly how bad this will be for the state if either initiative is approved.

For instance, State Surgeon General Greg Bledsoe will be serving as spokesman for the group, which they’ve dubbed Arkansas Against Legalized Marijuana.

Bledsoe is joined by Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce, the Arkansas Farm Bureau Federation, the Coalition for Safer Arkansas Communities, the Family Council Action Committee and the Arkansas Committee for Ethics Policy.

According to a filing posted to the Arkansas Ethics Commission’s website recently, it says the group exists to “advocate the disqualification and defeat” of both medical marijuana ballot initiatives.

So, that raises the question of disqualification, which Bledsoe responded by saying a team of lawyers are already reviewing both the act and the amendment.

Bledsoe went on to say if there’s something in one or both of the proposed initiatives that the attorneys feel is inaccurate or doesn’t properly describe what this legislation is and does, then they would seek to ask the courts to remove one or both from the ballot.

Bledsoe made an interesting point by saying of the Medical Cannabis Act, tax revenue would not be enough to cover the cost of regulation by the state Department of Health and, if excess tax revenue is generated, it would go toward subsidizing the cost of medical marijuana for low-income residents.

In other words, low-income Arkansans with their hands out for this dope would be probably getting it for free based on Bledsoe’s opinion.

Now we all realize that those proponents of legalized “pot” are spending thousands upon thousands of dollars given to them by special interest groups seeking to make big profits.

These big money donors will be among those wanting to obtain licenses to peddling the “pot” as well as taking part in the profitable cultivation process.

The fact of the matter goes well beyond this sympathetic propaganda being spread by the likes of Melissa Faults, campaign manager for Arkansas for Compassionate Care.

For many of those spearheading these efforts the bottom line that voters needs to be very well aware of is the fact this is all about money, no different than how drug dealers peddle their stuff, which is currently illegal in Arkansas.

All Arkansas voters need to be informed and educated on these important initiatives so when they cast their votes they will have some sense of knowing what they are actually voting for or against.