I am sharing this letter that was written by a friend of mine, Marc A. Mays, who lives in Upper Sandusky, Ohio, with his permission. It was published in the hometown newspaper. I am in total agreement with his comments.

Marc wrote in part: “Colorado and Washington have legalized recreational and medicinal marijuana and these states have experienced a rise in marijuana related DUIs and serious traffic accidents involving marijuana-positive drivers … Since medical marijuana was legalized in Colorado, the percentage of marijuana-positive drivers involved in fatal traffic accidents has increased 66 percent. Washington shows an 83 percent increase in the percentage of marijuana-positive DUIs from 2011 to 2015. Colorado saw a 24 percent increase in juvenile marijuana use. Since legalizing marijuana in Colorado, the number of drug related suspensions and expulsions in schools has increased by 40 percent. Edible marijuana food products that are marketed as cookies and candy will be accidentally eaten by kids. After Colorado legalized marijuana, the Rocky Mountain Poison and Drug Center has seen a 265 percent increase in the average number of marijuana-related exposures in children under the age of five years … Join Ohio’s law enforcement officers in voting ‘no’ on Issue 3.”

Martha M. Worstine

Wilmington