With regard to the Aug. 2 Herald article about Everett considering the addition of more marijuana shops, I would ask that Councilmember Liz Vogeli volunteer to have the first new pot store built right next door to her house or within a short distance from her children’s schools.
I personally did not vote for the legalization, but as a citizen of this state, I will obey the laws as they stand. However, I take exception to a clear attempt to justify to the public an increase the number of pot stores. I certainly can understand the economic benefits of the all-mighty revenue dollars that all governments covet that will be generated by this, but please someone enumerate the social benefits for me. After all, I seem to recall that these wonderful revenue dollars were going to be used to “educate” our people to the dangers of marijuana and other substance abuses.
Regarding doubling the number of stores and loosening restrictions, now that does not seem like what we voted on a few years back. Were the limits on the number of stores and how far they could be from certain establishments (schools) have been a flawed argument back then or just a lie to appease the voters?
In challenging Ms. Vogeli’s expertise on this subject, I would refer her to any of the many rehab centers in the Snohomish and King county area and let them explain to her what they see and experience on a daily basis with regard to substance abuses of all kinds.
Again, I will live with the laws as passed by my fellow Washingtonians and hopefully those passed by the responsible leaders that we have elected. However, I would also ask that these leaders live by the promises they made to us when these laws were being voted on and, most of all, not have “revenue” considerations drive decisions that might prove harmful to the citizenry.
Tony Fortino
Everett
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