Senator calls Calif's pot measure bad idea

GLENDALE, Calif., Oct. 30 (UPI) -- Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., says her state's ballot initiative legalizing marijuana would be a bad example for children.

Feinstein, co-chair of the organization opposing Proposition 19, said at an appearance in Glendale Friday that passage of the measure Tuesday would tell children there is nothing wrong with smoking pot.

"The last thing we need to do is make it easier for drug dealers to increase their consumer base by pushing pot on young people," Feinstein said. "Buying and consuming marijuana, in my view, is already too easy."

Feinstein made her pitch in front of the Glendale Police Department with a contingent of police chiefs, business leaders and Mothers Against Drunk Driving.

The Los Angeles Times said Saturday that some leaders of the pro-marijuana legalization camp showed up and told reporters that warnings about the effects of freely available marijuana were overblown.

"This is scare tactics," said lawyer Hanna Leibman Dershowitz said. "Marijuana is about as available in California as one could imagine it could possibly be, and I don't see that parade of horribles."