A Chandler pharmaceutical company is now the largest donor in the campaign against legalized marijuana in Arizona.
Insys Therapeutics gave $500,000 to Arizonans for Responsible Drug Policy against Proposition 205, four times more than any other donor.
J.P. Holyoak chairs the committee pushing the marijuana bill, and thinks drug companies would rather keep marijuana illegal to avoid competition.
“We've seen for decades now that it's big pharmaceutical companies that are fighting against the legalization of cannabis," Holyoak said. "Instead, they want to be able to push their far more addictive, far more harmful and far more dangerous opioid drugs.”
In a prepared statement Insys said all drugs should meet federal safety standards, something marijuana does not. The company also said some ingredients in marijuana probably have medical use, which is why it is developing such legal drugs.