The “bad for children” argument against legalizing marijuana

from Letters to the Denver Post Editor re: “Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper opposes marijuana-legalization measure,” Sept. 13 news story.

Several Colorado townships, University of Colorado brass, and now Gov. John Hickenlooper have recently come out against Amendment 64, stating that it “would be bad for kids.” There are many freedoms adults often enjoy that are illegal for kids, including gambling, drinking, smoking, investing, driving, getting piercings and tattoos, getting married, staying out all night, going to many concerts, working a double shift, etc. Granted, many of these freedoms could be considered bad for adults, too, but the “bad for kids” trope is nothing more than a cudgel designed to stifle honest debate. An unregulated black market is most assuredly more harmful to kids than a regulated honest market, and Colorado enjoys many economic advantages from the tax revenue these freedoms bring when adults enjoy them responsibly. And rest assured, adults most certainly do enjoy them.

Intelligent, evidence-based arguments against passing Amendment 64 are hard to find, so these folks fall back to the emotionally charged, false argument that it’s “bad for kids.”

Patrick Cappa, Fort Collins