Thank you for contacting me regarding legalizing the use of marijuana. I appreciate hearing your thoughts on the matter.
Marijuana, derived from the hemp plant cannabis sativa, is the most widely used illicit substance in the world, according to the United Nations. Discussion and debate as to whether it should be legally permitted within the United States has continued for decades. While I understand your desire to decriminalize marijuana, I am opposed for several reasons.
As the most commonly abused illicit drug in the United States, marijuana has the potential to be a gateway drug. Studies by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) also indicate adverse long and short-term health repercussions of marijuana use. Examples cited by NIH include brain impairment, addiction, and negative mental health effects. Likewise, legalizing marijuana could potentially provoke unintended consequences such as higher crime rates that are harmful to families, neighborhoods, and communities. For these reasons, I believe the disadvantages outweigh any claimed advantages of legalizing marijuana.
Drug abuse, particularly of gateway drugs such as marijuana, is a serious issue that must be addressed to prevent a generational trend of individuals enslaved to a lifestyle of addiction and drug dependence. I firmly believe that those individuals who illegally use marijuana are purposely violating federal law and should be held accountable for their actions. I appreciate your thoughts on the matter and will take them into consideration should federal legislation related to this issue come before the House floor for a vote.
Again, thank you for taking the time to contact me. If you have not already, I encourage you to take a moment to find me on Facebook (facebook.com/congressmanhuelskamp), follow my personal updates on Twitter (twitter.com/CongHuelskamp) and check out my latest speeches and media appearances on YouTube (youtube.com/CongressmanHuelskamp).
Sincerely,
Tim Huelskamp
U.S. Member of Congress
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