Misplaced fear ushers in pot ban

The Snohomish City Council has voted to draft a ban on retail sales of recreational marijuana retail. This is due primarily in response to some vocal citizens at council meetings.

What bothers me is the irrational fear so many still have with this drug. We should fear alcohol much more.

Alcohol has destroyed many lives in this community this year. It has cost enormously economically to say nothing about health and family tragedies. It is a gateway drug.

I understand wanting to protect our children from the dangers of marijuana. But how can we protect children from the dangers of alcohol when so many binge drink? I have. Who hasn’t? How can we communicate how addictive alcohol is when we associate its use with partying? Most people thoroughly enjoy a good beer or glass of wine. Talk about a devil in sheep’s clothing. Of course, the majority use alcohol responsibly. But a great many are in denial. More than two drinks a day? More than five in a social gathering? How often?

Let’s be honest. We are a culture of drug takers: Ambien, Xanax (over 25 million prescriptions last year), caffeine, alcohol, marijuana, Prozac and of course a variety of dangerous prescription painkillers. All these drugs have positive and negative aspects. But alcohol is by far the most insidious and pervasive.

Let’s channel our energies intelligently.

Rick Walker

Snohomish