Poll respondents split on recreational pot

A slight majority of respondents to a recent Argus-Courier online poll said they would vote to legalize marijuana, when the question comes up on the November ballot. Respondents were largely split on the issue, though, with just over 50 percent saying that recreational marijuana should be legalized in California.

Here are some comments:

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“As someone who has lived next door to a neighbor that grows medical marijuana, I can’t start to tell you how this has ruined our entire east Petaluma neighborhood. Everyone laughs at how marijuana should be legal and that it doesn’t harm anyone. Live in my shoes for one grow period and your opinion of marijuana will change for ever. Before voting yes to legalizing marijuana, every homeowner needs to remember that selling your house in the future will be nearly impossible because of these “legal” gardens next door.”

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“I don’t believe society as it is today can handle it. We already have irresponsible people out there who cannot handle alcohol or prescription drugs along with “medical marijuana.” How many more car crashes will legalizing a mind-altering drug add to our roads? How many more psychosis patients will the hospitals take in due to marijuana abuse?”

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“It does not make sense that it is classified as a Schedule I drug along with heroin, LSD, ecstasy and peyote.”

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“It will become a source of tax revenue, a cash cow for the county, and the illegal tax avoidance will continue unabated as well as the proliferation of anti-social home grows, and the eventual cardiovascular problems that will undoubtedly surface as time passes.”

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“Law enforcement have more important things to worry about. And all those tax dollars that can be raised. Better than growing grapes.”

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“Petaluma has a youth drug epidemic now. Drug and alcohol abuse is out of control. Why would we make it worse? Put your energy into reducing current problems, do not add to them.”

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“The current call is to eliminate tobacco use, e-cigarette smoke, drunks driving cars, adult access to any form of the aforementioned, but the drum beat is loud and clear for support of something that fits in each of these categories. Mystifying to me.”

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“This will be an enormous source of new tax revenue for California. Why should Oregon and Washington get it all?”

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“Time to legalize not only marijuana but also other drugs. The war on drugs has been a complete failure. By legalizing, you will be able to control the potency of the drugs, which will reduce dramatically the deaths that are a result of over-powerful drugs, reduce crime dramatically and raise substantial amounts of revenue, which should be geared to education and drug rehab.”

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“We do not need more people under the influence on the road.”

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