Anti-legalized marijuana group posting billboards across Phoenix area
Oct 25, 2016, 3:48 PM
(No on Prop. 205 Photo)
(No on Prop. 205 Photo)
PHOENIX — A group working to halt the legalization of marijuana in Arizona is launching a billboard campaign across Phoenix, two weeks before voters hit the polls to have their say.
The billboards encouraging voters to vote no on Proposition 205 began going up this week and are in both English and Spanish.
The campaign focuses on edibles, or food that contains either marijuana or its psychoactive ingredient, THC. Should the drug be legalized, edibles would be legal to sell and consume.
The appearance and wrapping of some edibles is a concern for those against the ballot measure. Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery told KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Bruce St. James and Pamela Hughes two weeks ago that certain types of edibles look similar to the brightly-colored packaging of common candy and food and may be attractive to kids.
“What we need to keep in mind is that, in Colorado, they were able to ban certain types of edibles that were being marketed to children,” he said, adding that because Prop. 205 would be voter-protected, the state Legislature would be unable to make changes.
No on Prop. 205 campaign spokesperson Annie Vogt agreed with Montgomery’s argument, saying the lack of local control over legalized marijuana is concerning.
“The lack of local control will render Arizona voters defenseless in mitigating all the unintended consequences for Arizona communities,” she said in a release.
The Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol, the group pushing to legalize the drug, said it does not have plans to launch an opposing campaign prior to Election Day. The group has launched several billboard runs over the past months.
KTAR’s Martha Maurer contributed to this report.
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