Marijuana Policy Project

LAS VEGAS — At a Las Vegas news conference today, the Marijuana Policy Project of Nevada announced details of a $10,000 challenge to the people of Nevada. MPP-NV will pay $10,000 to anyone who can disprove three statements of fact that demonstrate that marijuana is objectively and unquestionably safer than alcohol.

MPP-NV manager Dave Schwartz unveiled a large mock check for $10,000 as he announced specifics of the challenge, which kicked off a long-term public education campaign regarding the relative harms of marijuana and alcohol, and the harm caused by marijuana prohibition.

         MPP-NV is challenging Nevadans to disprove the following three statements of fact:

         1. Alcohol is significantly more toxic than marijuana, making death by overdose far more likely with alcohol.

         2. The health effects from long-term alcohol consumption cause tens of thousands of more deaths in the U.S. annually than the health effects from the long-term consumption of marijuana.

        3. Violent crime committed by individuals intoxicated by alcohol is far more prevalent in the U.S. than violent crime committed by individuals intoxicated by marijuana only.

To receive the $10,000 award, Nevada residents must provide peer-reviewed studies or government statistics that contradict all three of these statements.

“We are confident that we won’t need to pay out this $10,000,” said Schwartz. “Marijuana is objectively and unquestionably less harmful than alcohol, as these three well-documented statements show. Alcohol is more toxic than marijuana, more likely to be lethal -- either by overdose or chronic use -- and more likely to contribute to violence. For good measure, alcohol is also more addictive than marijuana. As we consider whether to reform our marijuana laws, it is important that the people of Nevada understand these facts.”