This fall’s 2A ballot question will undoubtedly focus on questions regarding marijuana’s health effects, the impact on children and teens, whether the city will actually net any revenue from taxes and how much a climate of drug-tolerance might discourage businesses from investing in Lakewood.
While reasonable people can debate these issues, I think it’s premature to be making long term decisions on whether Lakewood should allow stores to sell “recreational” (as distinct from “medical”) marijuana. Supposedly, our city council passed this confusing “for means against” and “against means for” ballot question to determine if city voters realize what they voted for in passing Amendment 64. Rather than showing the political courage to either vote for or against allowing retail shops to sell recreational marijuana in Lakewood (as so many other Colorado towns have done), our city council avoided taking a stand by passing it off to the voters.
While asking for people’s input is a noble concept I wholeheartedly support, it can be counterproductive if it’s not done wisely. In order to make an informed choice, voters need to have a lot more facts. Since we don’t have enough experience yet to fully know “the devil in the details” and “the unintended or unknown consequences”, any decision now is premature. There needs to be an adequate trial period to see what will happen in the long run.
For example, the state is now struggling with the serious problem of edibles after the legislature passed HB1366 which requires the state to regulate them. However, our city council acted hastily to turn Lakewood into a social experiment for the rest of the nation to watch and learn from our mistakes. I don’t think it’s right to turn Lakewood’s citizens and children into guinea pigs. Instead, let’s watch Denver for a couple years and see what happens to them. Then we can decide intelligently what would be the best course for our community. While it is always possible to allow recreational marijuana retail sales shops in the future, it will be difficult if not impossible to remove them later if the problems prove to be too much.
If you think we are rushing to judgment on recreational marijuana sales shops and agree we should take the time to do it right then vote FOR 2A. After all, what is the hurry?
David Wiechman