A California anti-drug activist says a high-ranking state leader's support of the legalization of pot is "highly irresponsible."
State Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) has announced his support for legalization of marijuana in California, telling The New York Times that laws prohibiting legalization of pot "don't make sense anymore." So, as the Los Angeles Times reports, he is urging politicians "to come out of the closet" on this.
James Lambert is an author and the spokesman for MarijuanaHarmsFamilies.com. He disagrees with Newsom.
"Mr. Newsom's position on fully legalizing recreational pot is highly irresponsible," he submits. "What the public has not known and what they don't know is that there are side consequences to full-blown legalization of pot. Primarily, teen use, as it did in the last 20 years, will triple. So, what he's suggesting -- joining the bandwagon of Colorado and Washington -- is wrong."
The announcement makes Newsom the highest state leader to support the legalization of marijuana. The Democrat ran against the state's current governor, Jerry Brown, in the gubernatorial race in 2010. California voters turned down a measure to legalize marijuana in the state the same year.