Much has already been said and written about both the societal and community aspects of cannabis, however, I have not heard anything from the Fulton area about the possibility of negative medical effects. This needs to be researched and fully understood before the City Council makes a ruling.
Unfortunately, my research paper on this has vanished, as Marley’s ghost did too! The well-researched article was written by a team of doctors from a leading hospital on the East Coast. However, I do remember the basic premise. The article stated that “cannabis has caused mental illnesses of various types, most notably schizophrenia, with the suicide rate being much higher for those who used it.” Their statistics and conclusions were backed extensively and were extremely alarming. I wonder why any community would want to permit this life-altering drug into its area?
Also William Bennett, the former U.S. secretary of education, did a comprehensive nation- wide study on the harmful effects of casual use of cannabis by the young. The study showed a 10-point lowering of IQ in the youth included. Do you want to do this to the young of the community?
Much of the community here is against having storefront access to buy marijuana. The federal government already has regulatory rules for doctors and pharmacists. They also must abide by the ethics and disciplines guarding against misuses. The doctors are enforcing the regulations safeguarding against the misuses of substances. Will a local storefront distribution point duplicate the doctors?
One wonders if some council members have forgotten their mission of protecting the citizens in this instance. Are ill-gotten revenues their foremost concern? What has happened to upholding our moral and social values?
Taxing authorities will benefit from local government legislation. This should never be the goal in reaching a reasonable, desired public policy. For financial gain alone, this is as preposterous as many other government programs. Those of you who are for this are considering only the limited revenue gains. The societal losses of Fulton’s community, along with future medical expenses for individuals later, will be without limits. I see passing this as the beginning of a irreversible downward spiral.
