There are many reasons why we need a new approach to marijuana in Oregon. It’s a waste of money and resources to lock up non-violent marijuana users. A legal, regulated system with taxes on marijuana will fund vital state services.
Another positive impact of marijuana regulation is that it will better protect our wilderness, parklands, farmland and forests.
Criminal growers with links to drug cartels hide their illegal operations on public lands. They don’t care how much damage is done to fragile habitats in national parks, state parks and wilderness areas.
Growing unregulated marijuana in natural areas destroys local ecosystems, by:
- Destroying native, fragile plant life and habitat; and
- Illegally diverting water from streams and creeks for irrigation, which in turn dries out water sources for fish and plants.
Indoor illegal marijuana growing can use a tremendous amount of energy. Some don’t follow the fire code or have access to energy conservation techniques or equipment. They won’t ask for help with solar panels and power-saving equipment, and have no incentive to do so.
Measure 91 will help reverse these unintended consequences.
Most importantly, a legal market will help drive criminal market cartel growers out of business. Marijuana will be grown by licensed individuals with no need to hide in our forests. There will be less need for resource-heavy indoor grows. Those who grow indoors can do so with the help of energy-saving equipment and conservation measures.
This November, we’ll be voting to regulate, legalize and tax marijuana. One of the reasons we’re voting ‘yes’ is to better protect our environment.
| David Meyers, Medford | Celine Swenson-Harris, Eugene |
| Sandra Pettigrew, Ashland | Tara Sulzen, Portland |
(This information furnished by Tara Sulzen.)