Letters to the Editor, June 25

‘Dark Side’ measure

The June 17 City Council meeting approved having stand-alone medical marijuana dispensaries on Marco Island. This, of course, is welcome news for both patients and providers of medical marijuana.  Heretofore, patients would either drive to the closest dispensary in Bonita Springs or have their marijuana prescription special-delivered to their home.

The cost-savings and convenience to patients on Marco Island and vicinity of having a local marijuana dispensary is obvious. The compassion shown by City Council is commendable.

We all know how easily well-intentioned regulations can be twisted and used by the “dark side.” It is my opinion that City Council should provide balancing consideration to the worries of increasing substance abuse on Marco Island. Even though the federal Drug Enforcement Administration holds marijuana a controlled substance, it would still not be unreasonable to create a city ordinance making the sale, possession or use of recreational, not medical, marijuana within Marco city limits unlawful. Such an ordinance, (with appropriate specifics), would be reassuring to the Marco Island community and also provide a helpful enforcement tool for our MIPD.

Would you, after giving it some thought, approve the explicit prohibition of recreational, not medical, marijuana on Marco Island?

Russ Colombo, Marco Island

Cannabis is giving

Councilors, I want to sincerely thank Grifoni, Rios, Young, Roman and Honig for doing the right thing by voting yes on allowing safe and local access to cannabis dispensaries for the sick and suffering citizens of this city.

I am truly grateful that you voted with compassion and that you researched and educated yourselves on the true benefits of this medicine.

Sadly, councilors Reed and Brechnitz followed the fear-mongering and dishonest polls from uneducated anti-cannabis individuals. This vote has painted a clear picture of how to vote next election. This stigma on cannabis must change. Cannabis is giving hope to very sick people.

These people are compassionate law-abiding active members of our community.

They deserve to be treated with the same respect as others needing safe easy access to their medicine. I'd be so ashamed to be the one obstructing someone of their medicine.  

So should you Mr. Reed and Mr. Brechnitz!

Becki Conway, Marco Island