It's Time to Make Smart Business Decisions for IB and Allow Marijuana Dispensaries

In 1989 I moved to Puerto Rico. I arrived on a Tuesday – that Sunday hurricane Hugo devastated the Island. I had a permit to sell clothes on Luquillo Beach, but the beach was destroyed so I had no source of income.

In a few days the Red Cross issued everyone $100 vouchers for clothes at Kmart. I used my $100 to buy T-shirts. I painted the hurricane symbol with “I survived Hugo” on them and sold them back to the Red Cross volunteers for $20 a piece.

I was back in business.

Life is about taking advantage of opportunities.

We have an excellent opportunity to generate revenue for our city by allowing marijuana dispensaries. San Diego has closed them down so there are many retailers looking for storefronts. We can charge top price for the dispensary licenses. Bringing in the dispensaries will also bring in sales tax revenue, rent some of our empty buildings and create jobs. The recent petition drive shows that the citizenry has already approved. It is time for City Councilmembers to step to the plate and allow immediate access.

It's time that we stop with the rhetoric and start looking at the facts. Marijuana is estimated to be a $100 million dollar a year industry in Cali. Combined with the cost of local, state, and federal law enforcement criminalizing weed is costing us billions every year.

In the mid 90's judges throughout the state sent a memo to district attorneys telling them to stop sending marijuana cases to court because they will be thrown out. I know this for a fact because my brother was one of the judges that signed the memo. Our courts are backlogged and the law has no right to infringe on the personal choices of their citzentry.

We are not doing the kids any favors by keeping weed on the streets. A dealer will sell to anyone that has money, regardless of age. It's much easier for a kid to buy weed than it is for them to buy booze or tobacco. Our schools have very little funding and now they want to charge a minimum of $70 to sit at a picnic bench?

Booze is the 'gateway drug' Councilwoman Bragg.

Blaming your brothers heroin addiction on weed is as logical as blaming it on hamburgers. Mental and emotional problems in adulthood usually stem from being raised in an unstable home as a child.

Mayor McSleeze has stated that he doesn't want “those kind” of people in his town. I guess he's referring to the kind that can read financial reports and knows how to take out corrupt city officials.

IF AND WHEN the marijuana dispensaries create a disruption in our city we can re-address the issue. The reality is that the marijuana dispensaries were removed from San Diego for political purposes, not because they created any problems. The 'war on drugs' is a multi billion dollar industry for the drug cartels & law enforcement and they don't want to give it up.

Our 'leaders' only thought to generate revenue by pillaging the working class. There are better ways. I urge everyone to contact our City Councilmembers to demand they immediately grant licenses to marijuana dispensaries in the City.