More people voiced their opposition to the marijuana sales than supported it, with most of the opposition expressing support to eliminate those sales altogether, not just in the downtown business district. It quickly became obvious that because Durango and La Plata County voters recently voted for approving the sale of recreational marijuana, most council members were willing to support sales in specific locations identified by city staff members away from churches and organizational addresses catering to our youths.

Recent studies show that only about 8 percent of our population smoke the drug, while about 27 percent of the population still smoke tobacco, even after a strong health campaign during the past decade that has shown the public the health hazards encountered by those who smoke. Most health organizations and the American Medical Association agree that smoking of any kind is extremely detrimental to public health.

Why would the council members knuckle under to those people supporting marijuana use when it is obvious that it is an unhealthy degradation of the human body, eventually resulting in severe and costly problems to themselves as well as to the public in general. One member of the council commented that he didn’t agree with approving recreational marijuana but if the public voted for it, he would have to support their wishes.

Where are the local statesmen who would stand up for the public good and say ‘no’? Somewhere, I read a quote, “It’s always better to walk alone than with a crowd going in the wrong direction.” Durango is rapidly going in the wrong direction.

Ed Tucker

Durango