Marty Walsh on Drugs

Don't legalize marijuana: it's unsafe & lowers IQ in kids

Where marijuana is legal, young people are more likely to use it: while use among minors has declined nationwide in recent years, states like Colorado have seen an increase. Kids in states that have legalized marijuana have easier access to the drug. And many believe that, since the drug is legal for adults, it must be safe to use.

What the evidence shows us, though, is that marijuana is not safe. Regular use that starts in adolescence has been shown to impair brain development, and even lower IQ. And increasingly, medical science is also showing a frightening correlation between regular marijuana use and severe mental health issues.

Create an Office of Addiction Recovery Services

Marty will create an Office of Addiction Recovery Services in City Hall within the Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC). This office will collaborate with other city and non-profit agencies in Boston to help citizens navigate the complex treatment and recovery support system so that they and their loved ones can get the help they need when they need it. He will expand the current HOTLINE system to include 24-hour coverage. Marty understands that it is imperative help be immediately available when an individual in need of substance abuse services is ready to enter treatment.

Voted NO on earmark for women's substance abuse program

Vote on veto override of Section 88 of the FY2004 appropriations. The appropriation in House bill No. 4330 earamrks at least $99,925 for the "Latinos y Ninos" program which addresses the needs of Latino women in substance abuse recovery. The governor's veto message (No. 4365), said "I am vetoing this section because it unnecessarily earmarks the use of funds at the Department of Public Health."

Relevant platform section:Part VI: Safety & Justice: Crime Prevention: "We support increased efforts to work with troubled young people and we support the development of secure substance abuse treatment facilities for adolescents and women."

Source citation: Veto Override, Sec. 88 ; vote number 520