NO ON PROPOSALS

Editor, The News:

Our November ballot contains two of the worst state proposals
Michigan has seen in decades.

Proposal 1 would legalize marijuana for "medical" use. But marijuana
cannot be smoked in pre-approved "doses" and is not filtered to
protect smokers from related complications. There's a reason no other
prescription drugs are smoked.

Once marijuana is legal, there will be no basis for preventing other
harmful drugs from being made legal for people who find them
"helpful." Proposal 1 would also open Michigan businesses to lawsuits
if marijuana-smoking employees hurt someone while they are high.

California passed a similar law. It now has pot shops in strip malls.
Many marijuana "stores" buy their marijuana on the criminal black
market, thus fueling drug-related crime.

Our police and school administrators already are struggling to rescue
our children and communities from drugs and drug-related crime.
Proposal 1 is a vague, bad law open to broad interpretation. It's the
last thing Michigan needs now.

Proposal 2 is even worse because it is a constitutional amendment. It
allows scientists to experiment on human embryos as "permitted under
federal law." Congress, not Michigan, will decide what goes for
research done here.

Proposal 2 requires the killing of human embryos. Period. A life is
terminated.

Stem cells from embryos have not contributed to a single treatment or
cure. But, adult stem cells are already being used to treat 73
different conditions. Why waste time and money on embryonic stem cells?

The language permits scientists to ignore Michigan laws that
"prevent, restrict, obstruct or discourage any stem cell research..."
If they want to mix human DNA with animal species, we can do nothing
to stop them. Proposal 2 sets the stage for human cloning and gives
Washington politicians control over biotech companies operating in
our state. This is not the "cure" Michigan needs for its ills.

Vote "no" on Proposal 1 and Proposal 2.

Bill Lee

Saginaw Township