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Text of the art. Schumer Proposal Ease Pot Laws. We Needed Something to get us through Trump ,,,  May 12, 2018

From this art we may gather that pot is a favorite of the Democrat Senate minority leader. Schumer is not generally identified as a conservative. Indeed, pot is an issue for the political left, and milk with the right.    We might ask, why do we have ‘ban pot’ laws? and how is that workin’ for Utah to ban pot as among states who allow pot? And which Utah lawmakers support easin’ pot laws and are closer to Schumer and the Democrat’s in this cartoon?

Why ban pot?

      Pot, marijuana, cannabis is addictive, and reduces higher functioning in the brain. The American Glaucoma Society says ‘there is no scientific basis for use of [cannabis] in the treatment of Glaucoma. The American Cancer Society Does not advocate the use of marijuana or the legalization of marijuana. The American Psychiatric Association ‘[not] beneficial for the treatment of any psychiatric disorder. *** strong association of cannabis use with onset of psychiatric disorders. [legalization] increases in admission for addiction treatment, fatalities from car crashes, hospitalization for overdoses and poisonings, crime around dispensaries and grow sites, and opioid overdose deaths. Marijuana is not a harmless substance. The American Medical Association does not endorse cannabis programs. New Zealand reports regular marijuana users were 60 times more likely to try other illicit drugs than those who had never smoked marijuana. Source – Southwest Utah Public Health Foundation, Spring 2018 magazine.

How has it been workin’ for Utah to ban pot when the rest of the states  don’t?

            The 2005 infant mortality rate ranked Utah 50^th or lowest infant mortality. As Utah had fewest infant deaths, or 4.7 infant deaths per 1,000 births, Utah saved 20 Deacons quorums (or Bee Hives) a year, and as there are 19 temples, operating, under construction, or announced in Utah, that is more than one Deacons quorum every year in each temple district (which usually has about 30 stakes). That is 200 deacons quorums in a decade.

The 2016 adult smoking rate ranked Utah 1^st , lowest, at 9.1% lowest smoking rate in the nation, or best as compared to a United States average of 17.5%. Sourced from United Health Foundation America’s Health rankings., herein referenced as ‘United ‘.

The 2012, and 2015, diabetes rate ranked Utah 1^st as lowest. United. Diabetes, the nation’s seventh-leading cause of death, has three major types: type 1, type 2, and gestational. It is a chronic condition that contributes to death from heart disease and stroke, or kidney failure, nontraumatic lower- limb amputations, and blindness in adults. Type 2 diabetes accounts for 90% to 95% of all cases, and can be prevented through improving diet, increasing physical activity, and losing weight. Medical expenses for individuals with diabetes are 2.3 times higher than those without diabetes. Costs of type 1, type 2, gestational, undiagnosed diabetes, and prediabetes exceeded $322 billion, nationwide in 2012.

The 2012 cancer death rate ranked Utah 1^st as lowest. Cancer is the second-leading cause of death. Nationally, more than 1.6 million new cancer cases and 585,000 cancer deaths occur annually. Lung, prostate, breast, and colorectal cancers contribute substantially to cancer mortality. Quitting smoking at any age lowers the risk of lung cancer. An estimated 7,300 people die annually from lung cancer caused by secondhand smoke. Deaths from breast cancer, colorectal cancer, and cervical cancer may be avoided through screening programs.. The direct medical cost of cancer was $88.7 billion, nationwide in 2011.

The 2016 cancer death rate from all causes, ranked Utah 1^st or lowest and best at 149.3 deaths per 100,000 population, as compared to a United States average of annual rate of 189.9 deaths. Same for 2015., 2014, 2013. United.

The 2012 high blood pressure rate ranked Utah 1^st or lowest. United.  The 2017 youth smoking rate, 2013 senior smoking rate, and 2013, 2014, and 2016 adult smoking rate all ranked Utah 1^st or lowest. United.

The 2010 chronic drinking annual report ranked Utah 2^nd lowest at 3.6% as compared to the United States at 6%. These are women having eight and men having 15 or more drinks. Drinking in excess for prolonged periods of time greatly increases the risk of developing health problems such as liver disease, high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, some cancers, and unintentional injuries. Excess alcohol consumption in youth can increase risk of potential alcohol dependence. Chronic drinking is a symptom of alcohol addiction but is not an exclusive behavior of alcohol dependence.  On average, 30 years of life are lost due to chronic alcohol.  In 2010 excessive drinking cost the United States $249 billion, due to missed work, additional health care expenses, and increased crime.

The 2016 Behaviors ranked Utah 1^st best. This is a combined ranking of drug deaths (Utah 47^th), excessive adult alcoholic drinking Utah 3^rd best, High school graduation (Utah 26^th ), Obesity of adults (Utah 6^th ), inactivity of adults (Utah 5th), smoking of adults (Utah 1^st lowest). The same for 2015 Behaviors. United.

Folks, Utah is even better, check this out.

   The 2014 percent of children in poverty ranked Utah 1^st or lowest. United.

The 1994, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2002 Overall Health ranked Utah 1^st, best. United.

The 2013 Hospital Deaths for seniors ranked Utah 1^st, or lowest. United,

The 2013 Hospital Readmissions for seniors Utah 1^st, or fewest. United.

The 2017 Fewest Hospital Readmissions ranked Utah 1^st best. Sourced from USNews

The 2016 drunken-driving incidents ranked Utah 51^st or fewest. Drunk driving costs each American adult over $500 a year and the entire U.S. $132 billion a year. Sourced from MADD, FBI, NHTSA, USA Today.

Please don’t get bored!

how great is Utah without pot?

    The 2016 gambling addiction ranked Utah 50^th, or least. The odds for a compulsive gambling disorder is increased 23-fold amongst men and women who suffer from an alcohol abuse disorder. Young adults in college settings are twice as likely to be gambling addicts. Estimates of 7 percent of all American college students struggle with gambling addiction. Roughly 50 percent of gambling addicts will commit crimes to support their addiction. Sourced from Time.

The 2017 blood-alcohol level ranked Utah 1^st lowest . Sourced from Deseret News.

The 2016 top states for business ranked Utah 1^st. Utah was the only state in the top half in each of 10 categories. CNBC. Sourced from Wall Street 24/7. Pollina Corporate Real Estate.

The 2016 charitable donations ranked Utah 1^st.

The 2016 Fodor’s Travel ranked Utah 1^st tourist destination in the world. Sourced from Fodor.

The 2016 volunteerism ranked Utah 1^st. Sourced from Corporation for National and Community Service.

The 2017 Family Prosperity Index ranked Utah 1^st. Sourced from Sutherland Institute and the American Conservative Union Foundation.

The 2010 youngest population in the U.S. ranked Utah 1^st. Sourced from McKinsey & Company Leading States Index. Herein McKinsey.

The 2016 highest birth rate ranked Utah 1^st most. USNews .

The 2017 lowest debt at graduation ranked Utah 1^st,, least. USNews.

The 2017 Government credit rating, Government Digitalization, ranked Utah 1^st . McKinsey.

The 2017 job growth and employment ranked Utah 1^st. USNews.

The 2017 Gini index, low prison overpopulation ranked Utah 1^st. USNews.

These thirty two categories, over dozens of years, send the message that Utah has it good, very good, even great.  Many of the categories have only been tracked since the early 1990s. Based on these beautiful and brilliant facts, easier pot laws have not been necessary to lure in new businesses, nor have they aided health expectations, nor increased other states family quality of life.  Instead pot legalization has kept the rest of the states from moving up in state rankings on health, economy, and standard of living.

This is a pretty impressive and lengthy list, and done without advertising pot, gambling, or adopting generous booze levels (blood alcohol).

Which Utahn’s have supported easing pot laws

a la Schumer’s cartoon?

[This is a work in progress.]

Mike Kennedy, Republican, House Alpine, lists ‘’ENDO-C Institutional Research Board studying the medicinal applications of Cannabidiol’’. Conflicts disclosure January 04, 2018, at https://le.utah.gov/house2/CofI/COFIKENNEMS.pdf. Kennedy supported easing marijuana laws (Town Hall), and lifting Marijuana from DEA Schedule one to Schedule two.

1. Senate Bill 130 CANNABIDIOL PRODUCT ACT 2018

http://c-8oqtgrjgwu46x24qwvnqqmx2eeqo.g00.msn.com

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