Belinda Hill

First Assistant




Criminal Justice Center
1201 Franklin, Suite 600
Houston, Texas 77002-1901
HARRIS COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY
DEVON ANDERSON

F0R INNEBIATE RELEASE: Contacts: }eff NcShan
Nonuay, }anuaiy 2u, 2u14 8S2-S17-1u67

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Bouston-- Bevon Anueison, Baiiis County Bistiict Attoiney, issueu the following in
iesponse to Piesiuent 0bama's iemaiks iegaiuing the use of maiijuana:

"I auamantly uisagiee with the Piesiuent. Accoiuing to a 2u12 Biug 0se anu Bealth
suivey, maiijuana is the numbei one uiug that citizens ovei the age of 12 aie
auuicteu to oi abuse. The negative effects of maiijuana use on a ueveloping biain
can be peimanent, anu oui Piesiuent is iecklessly giving what amounts to paiental
peimission to oui most impiessionable citizens to bieak the law. Naiijuana is
cieating ueauly situations iight heie in Baiiis County. I welcome the Piesiuent to
come to Bouston to ieview the same Capital Nuiuei cases I uiu just last week that
weie the iesult of maiijuana uiug ueals. Naybe then he will see that the most
effective way to keep oui law-abiuing citizens safe is to obey all laws that oui
legislatois put on the books at oui State Capitol.

"I am acutely awaie of the high piice society pays foi the misuse of alcohol. This is
not a uebate about whethei alcohol oi maiijuana is moie uangeious. The
Piesiuent's comments notwithstanuing, maiijuana is illegal unuei the Texas Penal
Coue, anu we vigoiously piosecute uiug possession anu alcohol ielateu offenses in
Baiiis County."

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