SCR 112 Testimony Elisha Figueroa, Administrator of the Idaho Office of Drug Policy

Mr. Chair, distinguished members of the committee. I appreciate the opportunity to speak with you
today about Senate Concurrent Resolution 112 regarding the legalization of marijuana. I also want to
note that sources for all data I will mention today are cited in the written testimony I have handed to
the page.
First, let me be clear, marijuana is classified by the Drug Enforcement Administration as a Schedule 1
drug meaning it has been found to have no accepted medical use and is addictive. It is clear from
numerous, credible research studies regarding marijuana that the use of this drug is linked to public
health dangers. The Institute of Medicine has reported that marijuana smoke contains 50-70% more
cancer-causing agents than smoked tobacco1 and the American Medical Association and most other
major health organizations do not support the legalization and use of marijuana as medicine.
Marijuana use has also been directly linked to mental illness2 and it is clear from the science that
marijuana is addictive, with 1 in 9 adults and 1 in 6 adolescents who use the drug meeting criteria for
addiction.3 Whats more, research shows that no drug is more strongly linked to poor school
performance than marijuana, and pot-smoking teens regularly drop out at twice the rate of nonsmokers. This is particularly relevant given that from 2006-2012, approximately 90% of juveniles in
Idahos custody reported marijuana as their first or second choice of substances to use.4
You will frequently hear the argument to tax it and regulate it. However, tax revenues would pale in
comparison to the societal costs. For example, alcohol taxes raise $14.5 billion per year. This only covers
6% of the costs to society such as increased costs of healthcare, increased costs of workmens
compensation and insurance, lost productivity, and increased crime.
The truth is that outright marijuana legalization is being pushed by national pro-drug organizations and
medical marijuana has simply been a guise to get their foot in the door. This is not something we have to
guess about. We can watch living laboratories like Washington, Colorado, and Montana to see what they
are experiencing as a result of these laws. Voters believed they were helping sick people and surprised
by what they got which is an industry overrun with fraud. For example, the average patient in
California is a 32 year-old, white male with a history of substance abuse and no history of lifethreatening disease. (Show pictures)
I want to close today by giving voice to a nine-year-old who recently made a comment I believe is wise
beyond her years. A friend of mine has three daughters and while discussing the issue of marijuana the
other night at dinner, one daughter looked confused and asked why the people in Boise had to be told
that marijuana was still a drug. My friend tried to explain in a way his young children would understand
what has been happening nationally and in states near Idaho. Thats when Hannah, my friends 9-yearold daughter who had been listening quietly throughout the conversation said, Dad, just because the
other places have said marijuana is ok, doesnt make it right does it?

No, Mr. Chair and members of the committee, it doesnt make it right and we are morally obligated to
protect the right of children like Hannah to grow up in drug free communities. I appreciate this
opportunity to speak with you regarding this important issue and ask for your vote in support of SCR
112. I will stand for any questions you may have.

REFERENCES

J.E., Waston, S.J., & Benson, J. A. (Eds.). (1999). Marijuana and medicine: Assessing the science base.
Washington, DC: National Academy Press.
1 Joy,

2 Patton, G.C. et al. (2002). Cannabis use and mental health in young people: cohort study. British Medical Journal,
325:1195-1198.
3 Wagner,

F.A., & Anthony, J.C. (2002). From first drug use to drug dependence; developmental periods of risk for
dependence upon marijuana, cocaine, and alcohol. Neuropsychopharmacology 26, 479488.
4

Idaho Department of Juvenile Corrections, FY2013 Legislative Update.