[fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”no” equal_height_columns=”no” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” background_position=”center center” background_repeat=”no-repeat” fade=”no” background_parallax=”none” enable_mobile=”no” parallax_speed=”0.3″ video_aspect_ratio=”16:9″ video_loop=”yes” video_mute=”yes” overlay_opacity=”0.5″ border_style=”solid” padding_top=”20px” padding_bottom=”20px”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ layout=”1_1″ spacing=”” center_content=”no” hover_type=”none” link=”” min_height=”” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” class=”” id=”” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_position=”left top” background_repeat=”no-repeat” border_size=”0″ border_color=”” border_style=”solid” border_position=”all” padding=”” dimension_margin=”” animation_type=”” animation_direction=”left” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_offset=”” last=”no”][fusion_text]

The Issue

[/fusion_text][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container][fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”no” equal_height_columns=”yes” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” background_position=”center center” background_repeat=”no-repeat” fade=”no” background_parallax=”none” enable_mobile=”no” parallax_speed=”0.3″ video_aspect_ratio=”16:9″ video_loop=”yes” video_mute=”yes” overlay_opacity=”0.5″ border_style=”solid” padding_top=”20px” padding_bottom=”20px”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_2″ layout=”1_2″ spacing=”0″ center_content=”no” hover_type=”none” link=”” min_height=”” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” class=”” id=”” background_color=”#cccccc” background_image=”” background_position=”left top” undefined=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” border_size=”0″ border_color=”” border_style=”solid” border_position=”all” padding=”40px 40px 40px 40px” margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” animation_type=”” animation_direction=”left” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_offset=”” last=”no”][fusion_text]

Legislators in the Rhode Island legislature introduced House Bill 5555 and Senate Bill 420 to legalize recreational marijuana and put marijuana stores in Rhode Island communities. These bills are designed to create a powerful marijuana industry in Rhode Island that uses the same deceptive tactics as the tobacco industry. The citizens of Rhode Island do not want to follow Colorado’s path where marijuanarelated traffic fatalities have risen, the black market continues to thrive, and youth drug use is climbing.

To help citizens in Rhode Island learn more about the unintended consequences of legalization and the false promises are made by the marijuana lobby, concerned citizens supported by SAM Action have launched the “Are We Sure?” campaign. The campaign will bring awareness to the issues surrounding these policies which put profit over people. A quick look at the facts and stories from Colorado can show a different story than what the Big Marijuana industry wants you to believe.

Are We Sure that legalization will patch state budget holes? The answer is no. Marijuana taxes actually add up to less than 1% of the total budget for the State of Colorado.

 

[/fusion_text][/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type=”1_2″ layout=”1_2″ spacing=”0″ center_content=”no” hover_type=”none” link=”” min_height=”” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” class=”” id=”” background_color=”#212721″ background_image=”” background_position=”left top” undefined=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” border_size=”0″ border_color=”” border_style=”solid” border_position=”all” padding=”40px 40px 40px 40px” margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” animation_type=”” animation_direction=”left” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_offset=”” last=”no”][fusion_text]

Are We Sure that marijuana legalization will help our schools? Largely, school districts in Colorado are still going either unfunded or underfunded. When asked about whether pot legalization has brought more money into schools in Colorado, Cherry Street School Superintendent Harry C. Bull, Jr. located in Greenwood Village, Colorado stated, “So far, the only thing that the legalization of marijuana has brought to our schools has been marijuana.”

Are We Sure that we want pot shops in our neighborhoods? With the rise in pot shops, there has also been an increase in crime in Denver, the black market is thriving and Colorado leads the nation in youth marijuana use for ages 12-17. Legalizing and normalizing marijuana does not lead to safer communities.

Marijuana legalization promises so much, but in reality the only people who benefit are the wealthy investors who want to create the next Big Tobacco and put profit over people. We need to be united to stop this powerful lobby from coming into Rhode Island and lining their own pockets while putting our communities at risk.

[/fusion_text][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]