Recreational marijuana

As you are aware recreational marijuana has recently been legalized in California (Prop. 64) start-up date of Jan. 1. It’s important to note that Imperial County voted against recreational marijuana, although the state as a whole voted in favor of the legalization and use of recreational marijuana. It’s important to note that marijuana is still a Schedule 1 drug, the same class as heroin, cocaine, meth, etc.

As a recovering person based on my prior experience, but also on my professional experience, I consider marijuana being a gateway drug which leads to other drugs such as meth, heroin, cocaine, etc. The question at this point is do we want to grow marijuana in Imperial County? I believe it will cause corruption and send a bad message to our young.

It’s interesting that special interest groups (out of county folks) are spearheading the growing of marijuana in the Imperial County. First, they just wanted our water, now they want our land to grow marijuana.

I sense I am fighting a losing battle, so Plan B. If growing marijuana is legalized and approved by the Board of Supervisors, I would recommend that we tax marijuana just like cigarettes and use that money for alcohol and drug prevention, education in the school systems, K-12, outreach, residential treatment and drug court.

At the end of the day, I really believe that even if the growing of marijuana is approved the new Administration’s Department of Justice (Jeff Sessions) under the federal law will stop the growing of recreational marijuana and possible use of recreational marijuana.

What I really believe in is the process and knowing when the dust clears our community leaders will make the right decision on what’s best for our community and put the potential tax revenues to address the scourge of addiction. We could tax marijuana as we have taxed cigarettes. DON GORHAM Calexico