State board approves resolution drafted by St. Tammany DA opposing the legalization of recreational weed

NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) – The governor’s Drug Coverage Board just lately authorized a decision opposing the legalization of leisure marijuana, drafted by the St. Tammany and Washington Parish district legal professional. Marijuana supporters mentioned the decision isn’t shocking, and isn’t supported by actuality.

The resolution calls on Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards to oppose any laws transferring Louisiana towards legalizing weed for leisure use.

“The state of Louisiana must be very cognizant to comprehend what these prices are earlier than we take the step of legalizing marijuana,” mentioned District Legal professional Warren Montgomery. “The decision cites numerous research, many of those research which were produced and that we didn’t have as just lately as 5 years in the past.”

Montgomery mentioned the legalization of leisure marijuana in different states years in the past allowed time for research to be performed which have proven the adverse results of legalizing marijuana.

“It’ll have varied adverse impacts on schooling, on psychological well being, on crime, and different elements, freeway security,” he mentioned.

However opponents, or slightly supporters of leisure marijuana, contest that these vocally opposing its legalization cherry-pick research to help their level.

“You realize there’s lies, rattling lies, and statistics,” mentioned Mandeville State Consultant Richard Nelson, a Republican who final yr filed a invoice to legalize leisure marijuana that didn’t progress.

“I imply that’s what they do. If in case you have a place, they choose solely the research from 2014 that help their place, which I perceive,” Nelson mentioned. “On the identical time, I can choose 1,000,000 research that do [support legalization], and I believe essentially the most convincing research of all these states which have legalized it’s none of them have gone again.”

As of Friday, no payments addressing marijuana have been pre-filed forward of this yr’s legislative session starting in March.

The Committee of Administration on Felony Justice shall be learning marijuana coverage this session, and what the impacts of its legalization could be.

Already, sufferers in Louisiana can get a prescription for medical marijuana. Earlier this month, it grew to become legal for dispensaries to promote the flower type of marijuana.

“The demand continues to be actually, actually excessive, however we’re in a position to get the individuals out and in in a reasonably affordable time,” mentioned Ruston Henry, proprietor and pharmacist at H&W Pharmacy.

In the meantime, advocates mentioned this session they count on payments to be filed growing the cap on pharmacies and growers within the state.

“The actual fact is that the sufferers of Louisiana could possibly be higher served by having extra growers, extra pharmacies,” mentioned Kevin Caldwell, southeast legislative supervisor for Marijuana Coverage Venture. “We want to see extra of a construction with not practically as many caps, or uncapped if potential the variety of growers, simply to create competitors which hopefully would decrease a few of the costs of flower for the sufferers of the state.”

Caldwell mentioned his group is learning different states within the South, like Arkansas, which has eight growers however round a million fewer residents.

Louisiana has two growers, and 9 pharmacies licensed within the state.

“And the costs in Arkansas are considerably cheaper than what we’re seeing at the moment within the Louisiana program,” Caldwell mentioned.

Henry mentioned he’s in opposition to what he calls placing the cart earlier than the horse, that the state ought to proceed with its program as is. If, down the highway, demand will increase, then caps can improve.

“Let’s settle all the way down to see how they meet demand proper now,” he mentioned.

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