Ex-RI Rep. Kennedy lobbies against legal marijuana
Former Rep. Patrick Kennedy, seen here attending funeral services for a family member, has started an organization to lobby against the legalization of marijuana. (Photo by Cliff Owen-Pool/Getty Images)
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Posted: 01/08/2013
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By: Associated Press
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) - Former Rhode Island Rep. Patrick Kennedy says he's established a group to lobby against legalized marijuana.
The ex-congressman says efforts around the United States to legalize marijuana are well-intentioned but misguided.
The Providence Journal reports that Kennedy's group, Project SAM -- for Smart Approaches to Marijuana -- will instead lobby for increased treatment for marijuana and drug abuse.
He says making marijuana legal would introduce a new substance comparable to alcohol and tobacco that would cause more public health problems than it would solve.
Kennedy also says he is skeptical about medical marijuana. He says it misdirects compassion for those who suffer from cancer and other diseases to support for an extreme drug policy.
Rhode Island allows the regulated use and cultivation of marijuana to treat some medical conditions.
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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