John Bizon says his constituents are asking about roads, auto no-fault insurance and health care. The Republican state Representative is now running for state Senate.
Bizon is in his second term in the 62nd state House District. He is the Republican candidate in the 19th state Senate district, which includes Calhoun, Barry and Ionia Counties.
Bizon says the state needs to continue to monitor for PFASes and other chemicals in water. PFASes have been found around the Air National Guard near Battle Creek due to chemicals used for fire fighting exercises. Bizon says it’s important to monitor where those chemicals are. But he says no PFASes have been found in Battle Creek’s municipal water supply.
Asked about the opioid crisis, Bizon says addiction of any kind is a problem. He then turned the conversation to the ballot proposal that would legalize marijuana for recreational purposes. Bizon says Proposal 1 is perhaps the most important issue on the ballot. The state lawmaker, who is also a physician, says that people can become addicted to marijuana. He says that can have detrimental effects especially for young people. Bizon says that’s why the entire medical community is opposed to the legalizing marijuana.
Bizon says alcohol does terrible things to people, and is addictive, but he says studies show it doesn’t have the same permanent effects on the brain as marijuana. Bizon says experience shows that alcohol, tobacco, medicinal marijuana or other drugs end up in the hands of young people. He says approving legalized marijuana would give the impression that it’s OK.
Democrats are hoping to make big gains after eight years of Republicans holding the governor’s office and both chambers of the Legislature. Bizon says a Democratic governor or Democratic control of part of the Legislature would require “a little bit more discussion.” But he says it would not be a fundamental change. “If you’re interested in good policy, that’s not restricted to one camp or the other.”
