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Made the Right Decision

According to a 2019 statement posted on the National Institute on Drug Abuse website, “The U.S. Surgeon General has issued a warning about the potential health risks of marijuana use in adolescence and during pregnancy. The warning, which states that no amount of marijuana use during pregnancy or adolescence is known to be safe, comes after recent increases in access to marijuana, and long-term trends in higher potency. The Surgeon General notes a 2018 recommendation from the American Academy of Pediatrics against marijuana use during pregnancy based on concerns for its potential impact on the developing fetus. He also cites research suggesting that frequent marijuana use during adolescence is associated with changes in the areas of the brain involved in attention, memory, decision-making, and motivation, and notes that earlier initiation of marijuana use is associated with an increased risk of developing addiction.”

I believe the Planning and Zoning Commission made the right decision. Deep River is the home for the schools in the tri-town area. Our town values this action as an example to those students over the few dollars lost in tax revenue. Early use of a mild drug in adolescence may, in some instances, lead to harder drugs in late teens and 20’s. If one opioid overdose can be avoided, we should be happy to lose the $20,600 now.

In closing, I would like to add that writer’s (“Let the Committee Know,” Sept. 21) assertion of drug sales being conducted at Deep River municipal properties is at best a misrepresentation of the fact. Security measures at these facilities have been in place for many years.

Ted Mackenzie

Chair, Deep River Water Pollution Control Authority