Decisions pit parents against pot marketers

October was a bad month for Buffalo Grove youth. The village trustees voted to approve the opening of two retail marijuana stores in its business districts. This decision was made despite the fact that the board heard four hours of testimony from concerned parents, doctors, therapists, school administrators, youth and addiction specialists. Even though the board, by law, is supposed to report to the Buffalo Grove residents, they chose to do what they wanted to do months ago and join in the race to make money from another industry that will profit from addiction.

Then, our state suffered another death by vaping and it was reported that Illinois is the hardest hit in the nation with two deaths and 137 illnesses being reported. The CDC reports vaping THC is involved in nearly 80% of the cases that report this horrific lung injury. The CDC warns that people should NOT vape THC whether from a legal or black-market source.

So, at a time when vape products should be taken off the shelves, the trustees in Buffalo Grove, despite an overwhelming majority in attendance urging, pleading and even crying for the trustees to opt out, voted to put more vapes on the shelves in their town starting Jan. 1.

By voting in favor of opting in to retail marijuana sales, these trustees did exactly what doesn't work in prevention. They threw their hands in the air, voted to increase access of marijuana in the town and then threw it back to parents to deal with it. They left us parents to fend against an industry with millions to spend on marketing their propaganda to our kids. Wish us luck. We will need it.

Jamie Epstein

Vernon Hills