“In legalizing the recreational use of marijuana, we have opened the door for a myriad of unforeseen consequences to ravage our communities in ways we will pay for financially and in terms of our public health and safety. When looking at how legalization has played out in other states, we should let history guide our decision making.

“Just about every state that has legalized recreational-use marijuana has seen a notable increase in driver impairment and vehicular accidents and, as it stands now, there is no reliable technology that would allow law enforcement to assess roadside driver impairment in the way that they can with alcohol. Worse yet, in these states the black market for marijuana has not diminished whatsoever, and illegal sellers outnumber legal operations 3 to 1. If anything, the legal market and grow operations give cover to illegal operations by allowing them to hide in plain sight. Taking into account these considerations, as well as the fact that legalization will make marijuana more accessible than ever to children, I did not vote for the legislation that passed last night.”