Organizations that support this initiative:
ACT Missouri
BJC School Outreach and Youth Development
C&S Business Services
Chesterfield Alliance for Positive Youth (CAPY)
City of Ballwin
City of Chesterfield
City of Clarkson Valley
City of Ellesville
City of Eureka
City of Jefferson
City of Wildwood
Clean Air Kearney
Compass Prevention
Council for Drug Free Youth
Family Counseling Center, Inc.
Foundations for Franklin County, Inc.
Grace Church, Richmond, MO
Green County, Missouri Commission
Jefferson County P.R.I.D.E.
Kearney Holt Community Acting Now
Lee’s Summit CARES
Lee’s Summit Health Education Advisory Board
Lee’s Summit Police Officers Association
Liberty Alliance for Youth
Missouri Association of Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons
Missouri Association of Prosecuting Attorneys
Missouri Association of Treatment Court Professionals
Missouri Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics
Missouri Coalition of Children’s Agencies
Missouri Congress of Parents and Teachers (PTA)
Missouri Mental Health Foundation
Missouri Narcotics Officers Association
Missouri Police Chiefs Association
Missouri Public Health Association
Missouri Recovery Network
Missouri Retired Teachers-Jacomo Chapter
Missouri Sheriff’s Association
Missouri Substance Abuse Prevention Network
National Alliance on Mental Illness-Missouri
National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse-St. Louis Area
Osage County Anti Drug Community Action Team
Parkway Alliance for Healthy Communities
Platte County Health Department
Preferred Family Healthcare
Prevention Consultants of Missouri
Rockwood Drug-Free Coalition
Smart Approaches to Marijuana Missouri
St. Joseph Youth Alliance
The Northland Coalition
Tri-County Mental Health Services, Inc.
We Can Be Drug Free Coalition, Butler County Community Resource Council
Weed Man Lawn Care
WHEREAS, Long-term marijuana abuse can lead to addiction. In 2013, there were 7,987 drug treatment admissions with marijuana identified as the “primary drug” abused. 91% of people using publicly-funded treatment services for marijuana were 18 and under at age of first use.[i]
WHEREAS, Current research has demonstrated the earlier marijuana use begins, the more likely the user will become dependent on it or other types of drugs later in life. Regular marijuana users have a 40% chance of becoming addicted.[ii]
WHEREAS, The age of first marijuana use in Missouri is 13.88 years and nationally it is 13.94 years.[iii]
WHEREAS, 16% of the Missouri youth that reported marijuana use were daily users.[iv]
WHEREAS, Marijuana impairs the brain’s effectiveness, ability to concentrate, coordination and ability to retain information by changing the way sensory information reaches and is processed by the brain. Compared to non-smoking peers, students who smoke marijuana tend to get lower grades and are more likely to drop out of high school. Students who use marijuana before age 15 are three times more likely to have left school by age 16.[v]
WHEREAS, in Colorado from 2006-2011, traffic fatalities involving drivers testing positive for just marijuana increased 114%. Colorado began a medical marijuana program from 2000-2009, with expanded medical use from 2009-present and fully legalized in 2012.[vi]
WHEAREAS, Federal excise taxes collected on alcohol in 2007 totaled around $9 billion; states collected around $5.5 billion. Combined, these amounts are less than 10 percent of the estimated $185 billion in alcohol-related costs to health care, criminal justice, and the workplace in lost productivity. It’s estimated that taxing marijuana would produce the same gap in tax revenue vs. marijuana related costs (health care, criminal justice, workplace, etc).[vii]
BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED, That the undersigned person/organization is against the legalization of marijuana for recreational or medical purposes:
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the undersigned person/organization will:
➞ Educate its members and, if possible, the general public of its endorsement of this Resolution.
➞ Educate the Governor and members of the state legislature of its endorsement of this Resolution, to the extent permitted by law, and urge its members to do the same.
[i] 2015 Status Report on Missouri’s Substance Abuse and Mental Health Problems
[ii] National Institute on Drug Abuse
[iii] 2014 Missouri Student Survey
[iv] 2014 Missouri Student Survey
[v] National Institute on Drug Abuse
[vi] Rocky Mountain HIDTA 2015