A maker of deadly painkillers is bankrolling the opposition to legal marijuana in Arizona

[workinclasszero]

A maker of deadly painkillers is bankrolling the opposition to legal marijuana in Arizona
By Christopher Ingraham September 9

The campaign against marijuana legalization in Arizona received a major infusion of cash last week from a synthetic cannabis drugmaker that has been investigated for alleged improper marketing of a highly addictive prescription painkiller, according to campaign finance reports.

The $500,000 donation from Insys Therapeutics, based in Chandler, Ariz., amounts to more than one-third of all money raised by Arizonans for Responsible Drug Policy, the group opposing legalization. It's one of the largest single contributions to any anti-legalization campaign ever, according to campaign finance records maintained by ballotpedia.com.

Insys also manufactures the deadly painkiller Subsys fentanyl. The company is facing state and federal investigations, as well as a shareholder lawsuit, over allegations that it improperly marketed the drug to doctors in an effort to boost sales.

In February, a former sales rep for the company pleaded guilty to fraud charges stemming from a kickback scheme involving Subsys fentanyl purchases. Last month, two former employees pleaded not guilty after being arrested for participating in a similar fentanyl kickback scheme.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2016/09/09/a-maker-of-deadly-painkillers-is-bankrolling-the-opposition-to-legal-marijuana-in-arizona/

[MADem]

1. Well, I am shocked, I tell you!!! How can this BE?

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[workinclasszero]

2. Yup

Big Pharma hates the legalization of pot as much as the DEA , police forces and privately run prisons.

They all make ungodly amounts of bank on its continuing illegal status.

[GWC58]

3. And of course

Kevin Sabet and Project SAM are very happy. I'm hoping that once California legalizes its "game, set, match. Here's hoping Arizona voters make their right decision.

[Warren DeMontague]

8. Measure 64 is definitely the big one, to my mind.

if all 50 million Americans on the West Coast have access to fully legal recreational marijuana, maintaining prohibition on the federal level becomes pretty untenable, to my mind.

[ThoughtCriminal]

4. A couple of time their pathetic attempts at social media

have come up on my Facebook timeline.

I don't know how this is polling, but both times, they have absolutely gotten crucified by the comments. First time about 99% of the comments were pro-legalization with lots of jibes about the how this astroturfing is coming from Big Pharma and the Liquor industries. The latest " innocent victims of recreational marijuana legalization" post is getting even worse reviews.

I posted a link to the WP article, so thanks.

[Warren DeMontague]

7. Last polls I read, legalization was behind in AZ

maybe this will backfire? One hopes.

[Warren DeMontague]

5. Oh, I'm sure they're just looking out for the interests of the general public

at least, the members of the general public that own stock in their company.

[Rex]

6. Yeah and the massive breweries out there throw money against legalizing pot too.

It is always about money, well almost.

[GWC58]

9. The breweries do not get

much, if any, money from me as I am not a drinker of alcohol, certainly not liquor. I might, if out having dinner at a restaurant, have one Bud Light. I don't like getting drunk, at all.