WIKILEAKS EXPOSES HOW ALCOHOL INDUSTRY IS UNDERMINING MARIJUANA LEGALIZATION

In the midst of the Hilary Clinton email leak via WikiLeaks, more corruption was found than just dealing with the presidential election. It was discovered through an email that Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America was insistent that Congress be more harsh with the developing marijuana industry. While the alcohol company claims to have no stance on cannabis legalization, it's no doubt that the more marijuana people use, the less alcohol they will consume. As a direct threat to the alcohol industry's profits, it's within Wine & Spirits' interest to both delay the inevitable legalization, and also make marijuana look more dangerous to users and drivers than it actually is. Cannabis has shown to impair drivers far less than alcohol, but instead of bringing more attention to drunk driving and urging congress to crack down on alcohol, which causes thousands of overdoses and automobile fatalities every year, the alcohol advocates are hoping to shift the danger blame over to the marijuana industry.

“Given that driving under the influence of marijuana is already illegal and that the existing research shows marijuana’s effect on driving ability is significantly less than alcohol, it is difficult to see a legitimate reason for the alcohol industry to be taking up this issue,” Fox said. “They would do better to fund research on how to decrease drunk driving.”