Dear Editor:
RE: School board asks municipalities to opt out of cannabis sales, Dec. 6.
After reading the above article in occurred to me that communities need to weigh the impact of their decision on whether or not to allow cannabis retail outlets.
A vote against will benefit the black market. A vote allowing such outlets will indeed require consistent bylaws that are enforced. Cannabis is not new. It was around when I attended secondary school more than 40 years ago. The black market will continue to thrive in communities without retail outlets since underage users are reliant on black market access to cannabis as recognized by the superintendent of Upper Grand District School Board.
Legal recreational users would also access the same black market sources purely out of convenience. Grants have been issued to several universities (Guelph included) to conduct further studies of the medicinal benefits of the plant as well as gene research, etc.
Many people, of all ages, have been prescribed medical cannabis to help them deal with pain as well as other ailments. Veterinarians use salve containing CBD oil extracted from cannabis in the treatment of open sores on livestock. The same salve cured my daughters’ eczema.
It is encouraging to hear that since the legalization of recreational cannabis the school board has not seen an increase use among students. Nevertheless, I am sure it will continue to find its way into the hands of minors, just as alcohol does today.
When alcohol was again legalized I am sure society faced many of the same fears.
E.J. Strauss, PALMERSTON