he sponsored the bill because
he sees giving adults the right
to make their own decisions is
consistent with American values.
“I think we need to let adults
make their own choices about
what they eat and what they put
in their body,” he said.
Currently, it is only legal in
Michigan to use marijuana for
medical
purposes
authorized
by
a
physician.
In
Ann
Arbor,
marijuana
has
been
decriminalized
since
1972,
meaning its use is still illegal but
the only punishment for first-
time offenders is a $25 fine.
Statewide — including on
University
property,
which
doesn’t follow city ordinances —
marijuana use and possession is
a felony.
Under the bill, the state
would impose both Michigan’s
6-percent sales tax as well as
an additional 5-percent excise
tax on the wholesale market for
marijuana. The excise tax would
increase by 1 percent each year,
capping off at 10 percent after a
five-year period.
The revenue from this excise
tax — based on comparisons
with
Colorado,
where
the
wholesale excise tax on non-
medicinal
marijuana
is
15
percent — would total roughly
$100 million, according to a
Michigan
House
Democrats
press release.
Forty percent of the tax
revenue
would
go
toward
early
childhood
education,
another 40 percent would go
toward Michigan roads and the
remaining 20 percent would be
used to fund substance-abuse
treatment programs.
Irwin said he felt complete
prohibition as a method for
controlling
marijuana
use
and distribution doesn’t work
because it’s too costly to the
taxpayers and individuals who
are prosecuted.
“There’s both practical and
philosophical
motivations
(to legalize marijuana) — the
practical motivation is that
prohibition is a colossal, costly
failure: It doesn’t accomplish
any of its goals, it promotes the
black market, it puts money and
power in the hands of criminals
and it makes (marijuana) more
available to young kids.”
He also noted that, based
on examples of other states
that have legalized marijuana,
it is unlikely that doing so in
Michigan would impact the
amount of people under 21 who
use the drug.
“The law has very little
impact on what people choose
to do,” he said. “If you look at
what’s happening in Colorado,
teen use is pretty much the
same as what it was before
legalization.”
However,
marijuana
legalization bills across the
country have drawn opposition
from some health professionals.
Carl Karoub, a physician who
practices in Royal Oak, said he
legalizing marijuana is not a
smart decision.
He noted the state has an
incredibly high incidence of
depression,
and
legalizing
a drug such as marijuana,
which can be used to increase
endorphins, in a place ripe
for substance abuse could be
dangerous.
Karoub said while he doesn’t
turn to it as his first option, he
is not inherently opposed to the
use of medical marijuana for
certain patients who are, for
example, experiencing chronic
pain and for whom conventional
treatments would not succeed.
He cautioned, though, that
marijuana makes people less
productive, and that the effects
of using it last for extended
periods after the fact.
“Marijuana
has
certain
psychiatric and psychological
effects that may not end when
you stop using marijuana. They
may be persistent for days, for
months, and sometimes they
stay for a lifetime if you used it
chronically. If you smoke it, you
run the risks of heart disease,
high cholesterol, heart attack
and loss of brain cells,” he said.
Irwin
said
he
thinks
marijuana should be regulated
similarly
to
how
alcohol
consumption is regulated in the
United States because the health
risks associated with marijuana
are no more harmful than those
associated with alcohol.
“This idea that we have
legally available alcohol, which
is
addictive
and
incredibly
intoxicating — and can kill
you — yet we strongly punish
people who possess and use
marijuana, despite the fact that
it’s non-toxic, it’s not physically
addictive and you can’t overdose
on it,” he said. “That’s always
struck me as silly.”
There
are
also
several
organizations currently working
to legalize marijuana in the state
through ballot initiative.
If a legalization petition
receives 250,000 signatures of
Michigan voters, the legislature
has 40 days to adopt or reject
the proposal. If they reject it,
the proposed legislature would
then go before the electorate
for approval on the 2016 ballot.
Irwin said there are many
legislators
who
support
the
principles
behind
his
legislation, but that for political
reasons, they may be reluctant
to jump on board. As a result, he
said it is marginally more likely
that the issue will be decided
through ballot initiative than
in the legislature.
Third-year
law
student
Reid Murdoch, the executive
director of Law Students for
Sensible Drug Policy, echoed
Irwin’s sentiment, saying the
several ballot initiatives are the
real story in the legalization
debate.
However, he said Irwin’s bill
could potentially add momentum
to the debate in Michigan.
“Even if there was political
will in the legislature to pass
it, it’s probably not going to be
a priority,” he said. “The bill
being out there — it’s a talking
point, it’s a way for people to
see it and it’s a way for those
who might be more on the fence
to understand that it’s going to
the legislature as well.”
Murdoch
said
some
of
the students involved with
his organization on campus
volunteer
with
the
ballot
initiative MI Legalize to help
collect signatures, and added
his organization has worked
with Irwin in the past.
“This legislation signals that
we are trying to treat our young
people with more dignity,” he
said. “A drug conviction can
keep you out of all sorts of
professions.”
BILL
From Page 1
2-News
2 — Tuesday, September 22, 2015
News
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
DELANEY RYAN /Daily
Ann Arbor resident Dylan Skvarek competed in a Magic the
Gathering tournament at Get Your Game On on Monday.
GAME ON
TUESDAY:
Professor Profiles
THURSDAY:
Twitter Talk
WEDNESDAY:
In Other Ivory Towers
TUESDAY:
Professor Profiles
MONDAY:
This Week in History
TUESDAY:
Campus Voices
CAMPUS VOICES: ADVICE TO FRESHIES
FRIDAY:
Photos of the Week
THREE THINGS YOU
SHOULD KNOW TODAY
Michigan coach Jim
Harbaugh stuck up for
starting
quarterback
Jake Rudock during his
Monday press conference.
The Wolverines take on
Brigham Young on Saturday.
>> FOR MORE, SEE SPORTS, PG. 7
2
CAMPUS EVENTS & NOTES
Scott Walker has ended
his bid for the Republican
presidential nomination,
the New York Times reported.
He confirmed the reports at a
news conference in Madison
Monday evening. Walker had
struggled to secure donors and
make gains in the polls.
1
Apple Inc. is moving
forward on efforts to
create an electric car,
Market Watch reported.
The car is expected to launch in
2019. Sources involved in plans
say Apple executives recently
provided the go-ahead to triple
the size of the project’s team.
3
Peace Corps
info session
WHAT: A panel of
Peace Corps alums will
discuss their service
and experience.
WHO: International
Center
WHEN: 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
WHERE: Mason Hall,
1330 Honors Lounge
Multicultural
Greek Council
WHAT: Students
can stop by the Diag
to learn more about
Multicultural Greek
sororities and fraternities.
WHO: Office of Greek Life
WHEN: 12 p.m. to 3 p.m.
WHERE: Central
Campus Diag
Discussion
on higher ed
WHAT: Anant Agarwal,
edX CEO will speak
about the future of
higher education.
WHO: Office of Digital
Education and Innovation
WHEN: 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
WHERE: Hatcher
Graduate Library,
Hatcher Gallery
Designing
Hudson Yards
WHAT: The symposium
will consider the creation
of Hudson Yards.
WHO: Taubman College
of Architecture and Urban
Planning
WHEN: 6:30 p.m. to 9
p.m.
WHERE: Ross School of
Business, Blau Auditorium
Machine
learning lecture
WHAT: Christian Sandvig,
an associate professor of
communication studies
and information, will speak
about machine learning.
WHO: Institute for the
Humanities
WHEN: 12:30 p.m. to 2 p.m.
WHERE: 202 South Thayer
Please report any
error in the Daily
to corrections@
michigandaily.com.
The Michigan Daily (ISSN 0745-967) is published Monday through Friday during the fall and winter terms by
students at the University of Michigan. One copy is available free of charge to all readers. Additional copies may
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are subject to a reduced subscription rate. On-campus subscriptions for fall term are $35. Subscriptions must
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ASSISTANT NEWS EDITORS: Tanaz Ahmed, Alyssa Brandon, Katie Penrod, Sami
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Policy talk
WHAT: Justin Wolfers,
professor of economics
and public policy, will
host a conversation with
TIAA-CREF president
Roger Ferguson.
WHO: Ford School
of Public Policy
WHEN: 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
WHERE: Lydia
Mendelssohn Theater
The Michigan Daily asked
students walking across the
Diag on Monday to give
freshmen students words of
advice.
“If you are coming from
a different culture, try to
meet people. People here
are very nice; don’t be
afraid to talk to people.
Even if you are an intro-
vert, it’s OK. People will
come and talk to you, so I
think it is very easy for you
to open up. If international
students are worried about
fitting into this culture,
just be yourself and peo-
ple here will accept you.”
—Dilparinder Singh, first-
year MBA student in the
Ross School of Business
“Do not be scared to put
yourself out there even if
you have to end up doing
things by yourself — you
end up meeting so many
awesome different people
from various paths of life.
It’s really cool to see the
different types of people
who go here that are unit-
ed by the common goal to
be leaders and best.”
—Nursing
sophomore
Alexis Valenciano
“Don’t get overwhelmed
by the raised standards of
being an upperclassman.
Take it easy, and don’t
do too many things you’d
regret.”
—Music,
The-
atre & Dance junior Matt
Provenza
“Be nice to the squir-
rels in the winter because
they share our home — I
feed and name some, too.”
—Nursing sophomore Brit-
tany Gray
“Take
in
everything
early. As time goes by and
you take harder classes,
try not to miss a beat, and
go to office hours. I love
the energy of the student
section at games, and if I
could go back I’d get sea-
son tickets for football and
hockey,
especially
now
that Harbaugh is coach.”
—LSA senior Nick Robbins
—ANNA HARITOS
Women in
Christianity
WHAT: Weeekly
discussion centers
around the role of
women in the Bible.
WHO: Osher Lifelong
Learning Institute
WHEN: 1 p.m.
WHERE: First
Presbyterian Church
Stephen Hobbs
WHAT: South African
artist Steve Hobbs
speaks on his various
projects focusing
on urban planning
and Johannesburg’s
architecture.
WHO: Penny W Stamps
School of Art & Design
WHEN: 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.
WHERE: Detroit
Film Theater
36 generations
of rats later, ‘U’
researchers connect
inactivy and illness
By SANJAY REDDY
Daiily Staff Reporter
Physicians have long recog-
nized the health benefits of reg-
ular exercise. Now, University
researchers are getting closer to
explaining the ways in which
exercise helps reduce susceptibil-
ity to disease.
Steve Britton, a professor of
anesthesiology, and Lauren Koch,
an associate professor of anes-
thesiology, have long bred rats to
model how exercise affects the
risk for developing certain dis-
eases in humans.
“We believed that there was a
strong relationship between how
long one was going to live and how
large their exercise capacity was,”
Britton said. “It seemed that those
who had a large exercise capacity
were living healthier and longer.”
To test the theory, University
researchers in 1996 developed a
selective breeding process to gen-
erate rats that were either “high
capacity runners” or “low capac-
ity runners.” To do this, Koch said
they took a large sample of rats
and measured their endurance
on treadmills. The rats that could
run for longer periods of time
were then bred together.
“We believed that if we had
lab rats that we could selectively
breed on low or high exercise
capacity, then we could develop
a model system to see how low
capacity and high capacity rats
harbor complex disease risks and
health risks,” Koch said. “So it
was a good way to look at health
and disease genetically.”
Since the beginning of the
breeding process more than 20
years ago, Britton and Koch have
bred 36 generations of rats. Now,
years of breeding are beginning
to pay off — allowing researchers
across the country to use these
selectively bred lineages of rats to
conduct their own studies. Brit-
ton said their model is the only
one to allow for direct artificial
selection for exercise capacity. He
added that the rat model has been
studied at 60 institutions nation-
wide, and has been the subject of
about 100 papers in scientific lit-
erature.
Results from the rat model
studies have confirmed research-
ers’ theory that exercise stimu-
lates health and life expectancy,
Britton said. The rats bred with
a high exercise capacity have
been shown to be more resistant
to memory loss, sleep disorders,
obesity and fatty liver disease
compared to those bred with a
low exercise capacity. In addition,
their average life expectancies
are between 28 and 45 percent
higher.
Koch said these results are a
step toward figuring out exactly
how exercise benefits the human
body.
“We know that exercise is good
for you,” Koch said. “But we don’t
know the underlying mechanisms
behind it. This model is helping us
uncover some of the connections
between both exercise and health
and inactivity and disease.”
Britton cited his collaboration
with colleagues at Colorado State
University as an exciting avenue
for future studies. Researchers
at CSU are testing the effects of
exercise capacity on susceptibil-
ity to breast cancer, and their
preliminary
data
shows
rats
with a lower aerobic capacity are
5.6 times more likely to develop
inducible breast cancer than high
Study: Exercise
cuts risk of disease
See STUDY, Page 3