Group behind I-502 wants to emphasize public safety

OLYMPIA -- A collective of organizations and individuals keeping a close watch on the implementation of  I-502 -- the initiative legalizing the recreational use of marijuana -- sent a 14-page document to the Liquor Control Board emphasizing public health rules.

The group -- made up of the ACLU of Washington, organizational and individual members of Washington State’s substance abuse prevention, treatment and public health communities, a primary architect behind the groundbreaking initiative -- hopes the Liquor Control Board emphasizes "drug education, prevention and increased availability of treatment" when constructing the state's new, legal marijuana policy:

The group listed public health as their No. 1 goal. Here is an excerpt from the group's recommendations:
The Initiative’s Public Health Features Must Be Fully Implemented

Our priority is to ensure that the public health features of I-502 are implemented fully and that the public is informed about the importance of emphasizing drug education, prevention, and increased availability of treatment – coupled with robust monitoring, enforcement, and evaluation – as core components of this major shift in marijuana policy. The following are examples of how the public’s health will be addressed.

To read the entire list of recommendations offered by the group, click here.