Facing Legalization in Washington, Oregon and Colorado, Anti-Pot Groups Think of the Children

Anti-marijuana groups, coming to terms with the real possibility of legalization in Washington state, Oregon and Colorado, have broken out the "won't someone think of the children?!" argument, Reuters reports.

Identifying their core constituents as soccer moms, the groups hold grassroots meetings in private suburban homes. There, anti-drug crusaders testify as to the evils of allowing even one marijuana plant to grow out of fear of possible corruption of their innocent offspring.

In the case of Colorado Republican State Representative Kathleen Conti, she talks about marijuana being the gateway drug and her son turning to heroin (never mind about social and parental factors or research pointing to alcohol as a gateway drug).

The groups are active in the states that will be voting on legalizing pot. The Colorado group raised the most money out of the other groups with nearly $200,000 in its warchest.

Pro-pot groups, such as the Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol, argues against the prohibitionist rhetoric of anti-marijuana groups. Its co-director, Mason Tvert, co-director of the group, points to a Centers for Disease Control study that found that teen pot smoking went down after pot was legalized for medical use in Colorado.