Pubdate: Sat, 27 Oct 2012 Source: North County Times (Escondido, CA) Copyright: 2012 North County Times Contact: http://www.nctimes.com/app/forms/letters/index.php Website: http://www.nctimes.com Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1080 Author: Aaron Byzak POT SHOPS THREATEN PUBLIC SAFETY In November, voters in Del Mar and Solana Beach face initiatives seeking to locate marijuana dispensaries within their city limits, despite numerous public-safety concerns. Despite everything we know about the negative results of marijuana smoking - a known carcinogen that attacks the respiratory system - we still see a concerted effort to normalize its use. Back in 1999, the California Healthy Kids Survey first uncovered a troubling trend that young, otherwise healthy North County teens use marijuana far more than cigarettes. Health concerns aside, selling marijuana from storefronts - medical or otherwise - continues to be illegal under federal law. As a results, U.S. Attorney Laura Duffy recently shut down several dispensaries throughout San Diego County. Pot shops bring a whole array of problems to a city that welcomes them. Cities, like Del Mar and Solana Beach, would likely fare better to stay out of the pot business altogether rather than trying to rectify the problems after the fact. Aaron Byzak President North Coastal Prevention Coalition - --- MAP posted-by: Matt