Lawmakers should think twice before approving recreational marijuana

To the Honorable N.M. Legislature:

RE: Law to approve the sale of recreational marijuana and sale of beer and/or wine in New Mexico public licensed restaurants.

We, herein, want to tell you about our concerns relative to the above subjects regarding the effects on N.M. citizens and families.

A good life exists when a person is healthy, and a person who has temperance and self-control in the use of habitual forming drinks and/or drugs will have a longer, happier and healthier life.

We all know that each living person’s body is contained by the spirit of life, by our breath and it divinely is established and is sustained as it continues even when we are asleep. Thus, a healthy, happy and long life is most valuable.

Both mind and body are affected by the drink and drugs we consume; and a merry and cheerful heart doeth good like a medicine.

We know that when a person does not use marijuana and/or intoxicating alcoholic drink in moderation, they end up as drug addicts and/or drunkards. These conditions are very damaging to individuals, on the family, on the community and on the state.

All intoxicating drugs and drinks are deceptive. They seem to give strength, but really cause weakness; they seem to impart vitality but really destroy life; they seem to promote happiness, but cause great unhappiness and misery. Intemperance or lack of self-control may be attributed to much of the world’s sorrow and poverty. The damaging effects of alcohol and/or marijuana drugs, when used in excess, do not decrease with the passing of years. These effects are wellknown and condemned. The story is told when exciting temptations and weak self-control lead to excess use.

On the individual: drugs and alcohol can be poisonous, increasing greatly the liability to fatal termination of diseases, weakening and deranging the intellect, polluting the affections, hardening the heart, corrupting morals and degeneration of physical and moral character.

On the family: a distributor and destroyer of its peace, joy and happiness, and thus removing the sure foundation for good government, national prosperity and welfare.

On the community: producing demoralization, vice and crime, and lowering the means for intellectual elevation and social happiness for the lasting good of the next generation.

On the state: by promoting crime and poverty, paralyzing thrift and industry, corrupting politics, legislation and the execution of laws.

Our interest from first to last centers on the unquestioned ill-effects of addictive-drugs and alcoholic drinks upon the nervous tissue; and thus, its hurt to the lowering of the general health and injury to the brain. Also, when used in excess, these agents, often associated in the sole cause of bad conduct (resulting in sad events), seeking refuge in mild euphoria, wild insanity and finally on to dementia. The records written about the majority of cases that come through the courts on or about crime have an intemperance use to drugs and/ or alcohol association.

There is little good to say about the use of addictive drugs and alcohol. Frankly, we cannot think of addictive-recreational drugs and recreational drinks as being on trial. Their many ill-effects on health, relationships, bad events, wasted time in life and costs to the welfare of the economy and society have already condemned them.

The question is, “Can the recreational drugs and recreational liquor traffic bring in large revenue to the state and still justify their ill-effects when licensing them?” In all the walks and relationships of life, whether in the home, the medical profession, the pulpit or legislature assembly, women and men should stand for temperance. To license the increase in drug and alcohol traffic is to legalize and foster addiction. It cannot further thrive without the patronage of each rising generation, many of whom it will inherently ruin body, mind, soul and spirit. For the state to receive additional money from such a source, therefore, should not be permitted.

If permitted this may be likened to a father catching sharks for money and baiting his hook with his own children.

Recreational? Moderation? Temperance or self-control? How factual and complete are they during times of temptation, judgement, etc, while living in troubling times? Permitting these laws offer a poison apple to those who lack the fortitude to refuse it. Protect the individual, the family, our community and our state. Work for the people.

Thank you for your time and service.