Legalizing Marijuana Attracts Drug Cartels

LEGALIZING MARIJUANA ATTRACTS DRUG CARTELS. Because the Belize House may vote on Tues. Oct. 26 on legalizing pot, we are circulating the below statement. We’re sounding alarms on how legalization would harm the nation’s youth, health, safety, economy & morality.

“The National Evangelical Association of Belize (NEAB) and its associate churches are deeply concerned that Government involvement in the marijuana business means Government promotion of marijuana use and development. Accordingly, we have been trying to communicate our concerns to the Hon. Minister of New Growth Ministries Kareem Musa, but we have not been granted any consultation.

“We reiterate again our opposition to the amendment to the Misuse of Drugs Act. This amendment which would make marijuana legal to produce, sell, buy and use under government auspices. Marijuana is a drug that often leads to the use of more drugs. As more marijuana for profit becomes available, it brings more marijuana promotion, more marijuana usage, more drug usage, more addiction, and more fighting over drugs.

Drug cartels bring drug wars & poverty

“The NEAB and churches in Belize are raising a red flag! Because the more profitable the marijuana business, the more it attracts drug cartel involvement to Belize. And if you give cartels an inch, they will take a mile. Over the last year in Mexico, 91 politicians have been killed in the drug war with cartels, not to mention the many murdered Judges who have opposed the cartels. Also, Mexican homicides from organized crime have exceeded 350,000 deaths in the past 15 years! Unfortunately, the Belize Defence Force is no match against cartel military forces.

“As such drug violence increases, we can expect that legitimate businesses and tourism would leave and avoid Belize. So would the correspondent banking relationships which allow Belize to do business with the rest of the world. This would further impoverish our nation. Belize should not open its doors to legalized marijuana. Because if you sow bad seed, you reap bad fruit.”