My great little town is again in a rabid debate, this one over whether a Marijuana shop should be given a license to open a shop in town.  As per the strong opinions that live here, the discussion has resorted to name calling and insults.  It seems as with many things civil discourse is a thing of the past.

My thoughts:

I am of a certain age and generation that has lived a lifetime of hearing warnings about the evils of drugs including marijuana. Because of this and a perception through media or  the entertainment industry that puts marijuana in a category with seedy areas of town, when I hear “pot shop” I envision Aurora Ave… strip joints, bars, pot shops and yes, even tattoo parlors.  All those things that have been ranked in the “there goes the neighborhood” category. 

I grew up in blue county in small town America that didn’t even sell alcohol.  I have lived all over the US and abroad. I have to say comparing my childhood home to Colorado 30 years ago where there was a liquor store on every corner with a big red sign,  leaves me yearning for the former. 

When I moved here in 1983, I found it refreshing that there weren’t private liquor stores filling every strip mall. 

So old indoctrinations are hard to overcome but as with everything there is a balance. Certain medicinal benefits from Cannabis is widely accepted and I have often wondered, “ Why is not sold and marketed by licensed pharmaceutical   companies?” Because having to go to little shops in the seedy areas of town to get it seems to stigmatize it further. 

All that said, it leaves me with mixed feelings about it’s use, abuse, benefits and  harms. 

Generally,  I have felt it was no worse than alcohol, however, it was illegal in the past.  Being an employer, over the years I have seen the bad side of both and how they affect lives in a negative way.   Some can use both socially with no negative effects and for others it leads them to poor choices that can destroy their future.   We often have jobs in the construction industry and they drug test employees, like with LEO members, there is a zero tolerance drug use, even marijuana since it has become legal and we have been forced to dismiss long-term employees because they choose cannabis use over their job. 

In my heart, I long for the old small town America but I know times are changing and, as in all things, not always for the worse.  

Que Sera Sera