Pubdate: Sat, 02 May 2015 Source: Pueblo Chieftain (CO) Copyright: 2015 The Pueblo Chieftain Contact: http://www.chieftain.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1613 Author: Tony Roberts PUEBLO MUST NOT GO TO POT It seems that representative local government isn't very representative in Pueblo County and city right now, and the results could be negative and irreversible. Legal marijuana sales are responsible for a large increase in requests for help from local social service agencies, and marijuana use is linked to troubled local youths. Legitimizing marijuana use isn't helpful. Our county commissioners have permitted marijuana shops in Pueblo West, even though the majority of voters in Pueblo West are opposed to the businesses. In the city, we voted "no" to taxing marijuana sales, not because we don't want the tax dollars, but because we don't want the businesses. City Council could allow the shops in Pueblo anyway. But council doesn't have to do this to our city. More than two dozen Colorado cities have banned recreational marijuana sales. That includes four of the 10 largest cities in Colorado - Colorado Springs among them. Yes, marijuana is no worse than alcohol. That battle was lost more than 80 years ago. But since other cities in Colorado haven't caved to the 13 percent of people who use marijuana, we don't have to either. Let's do that which will make Pueblo a better place to live. Marijuana isn't it. Tony Roberts Pueblo - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom