An Arizona movement opposing marijuana legalization has recently released video ads urging voters to discard the initiative.
The series of short ads targeting younger demographics argued that cannabis legalization would have a negative impact on young people. The ads claimed the state would witness an increase in workplace risks and impaired driving.
The group behind the ads, Arizonans for Health and Public Safety, used the channel to make a series of unverified claims regarding the proposed Arizona law and legalization impact in other states.
In one of the ads, the group claimed that the legalization of marijuana in Washington State gave rise to alarming consequences, including increased marijuana possession, drug use by minors, which attracted mixed reactions and increased student suspensions. In the end, the ad warned Arizonans not to make the same mistake by voting in favor of proposal 207.
Proponents for the initiative discredited the claims. It’s already known that a 2019 study published by the U.S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention revealed that marijuana use by youths had dropped in Washington’s major metropolitan county shortly after legalization. Other studies have arrived at the same conclusions.
In another ad, the group claimed that the state had no standard for impairment and that legalization would lead to more people driving intoxicated.
However, the proposed initiative strictly prohibits driving, boating, or flying while under the influence of marijuana even in the slightest.
The initiative also provides employers the right to regulate or forbid drug and alcohol use in the workplace.
Despite the considerable effort by Prop. 207 opposition, it does not look like they have convinced enough voters to change their minds this close to elections. According to two recent polls on ballot questions, 55 to 56 percent of voters support the proposition.
If Arizona voters approve the measure, adult marijuana possession will be legal up to an ounce with a six-plant cultivation limit
