LOOK AT FACTS: KEEP POT ILLEGAL I would like to ask Alaskans to vote no on the proposition to decriminalize marijuana. I am a master's-level counselor with 10 years' experience in drug treatment in Alaska. Consider these facts: The last time marijuana was decriminalized, teen drug use and addiction in Alaska more than doubled. It has never returned to pre-decriminalization levels. Marijuana is a depressant chemical. Users increase risk for depression and suicide, and Alaska already has one of the highest teen suicide rates in the U.S. Marijuana is physically and psychologically addictive. It is the No. 2 drug that people seek treatment for nationwide. Young people often don't perceive the effect that pot has on them. They get addicted without even realizing it. Short-term memory damage caused by pot has been documented since the 1960s. Kids need their memory! Marijuana reduces motivation, making it difficult for young people to apply themselves to activities, school and grades, and family activities. We cannot expect our kids to avoid using drugs if we, as a community, are using drugs, condoning drug use by voting yes on decriminalization, or by not voting. We owe it to our children to be counted! Michelle Overstreet, Wasilla
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