John Balentine’s March 6 article about the Windham Town Councilor resigning over the recreation marijuana vote brings up a well-deserved debate.
Concerns over marijuana recreational sales should be allowed on a town-by-town basis as is done now.
However, the issue is clouded by Mr. Balentine’s bias and non-pot stand. Marijuana ( “dope” as the article states), has been a part of Maine and our economy for 60-plus years. Freighters smuggling bales in the ’70s and ’80s that Maine fishermen brought into our secluded coves to distribute helped many families get by as fishing stocks declined. As local growers learned their trade, Maine developed a flourishing illicit marijuana-growing business. This benefited many Mainers, local businesses and industries as the cash flowed in and then out.
Now with both medical and legal recreational sales occurring, or soon to, the economic benefits will come to Maine communities via taxes as well as creating jobs for contractors, electricians, greenhouse supply companies, security agencies, etc., that will be needed to build and run the facilities.
Yes, the feds will get on board. The feds have more or less left the medical/recreational legal states alone. Mainers have decided to use or not to use marijuana over the last six decades; the herb is here and has been. Legal sales are not suddenly going to cause stoned people to do crazy things for all the public to see. It’s time to take the money out of the black market and on to state tax rolls.
Kevin Kearns
Durham
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