Area sheriffs against legalizing marijuana

Van Wert independent/submitted information

Van Wert County Sheriff Thomas M. Riggenbach is one of 21 northwest Ohio sheriffs who have signed a statement opposing Issue 3, which would legalize marijuana use in the state.

The Board of Directors of the Buckeye State Sheriffs Association also announced its opposition to the proposed constitutional amendment that would legalize the use of marijuana and allowed a limited number of grow operations within the state.

“The Board of Directors felt strongly that the legalization of marijuana would cause more issues for our youth and law enforcement,” a statement from that group said.

The threat to young people from legalizing marijuana include the following:

Marijuana edibles and marijuana-infused beverages containing higher levels of THC (the drug in marijuana), which could result in the poisoning of children and other adverse health effects. In addition, marijuana is the most prevalent illegal drug detected in impaired drivers, fatally injured drivers and motor vehicle crash victims.

According to crash data, 28 percent of driver fatalities and more than 11 percent of the general driver population tested positive for non-alcohol drugs, with marijuana being the most commonly detected substance.

Northwest Ohio sheriffs also listed several items about legalization of marijuana in Colorado that could be pertinent to Ohio. Those include:

• In 2014, nearly 40 percent, equivalent to 53 tons of the marijuana sold in Colorado, was vie the black market.
• The number of pets poisoned from ingesting marijuana increased fourfold in the past six years.
• THC potency has risen from an average of 3.96 percent in 1995 to an average of 12.33 percent in 2013.
• The average for Colorado marijuana exposures per year increased 89 percent from 2006-2009 to 2010-2013. This compares to 32 percent nationally.

In addition, marijuana continues to be the most commonly detected illegal drug of workforce urine drug tests.

In addition to Sheriff Riggenbach, sheriffs in Paulding, Seneca, Crawford, Marion, Wyandot, Putnam, Henry, Fulton, Auglaize, Fulton, Hancock, Logan, Ottawa, Wood, Allen, Defiance, Williams, Hardin, Mercer, Shelby and Lucas counties also signed the statement of opposition.