The following is an edited-for-grammar/spelling copy of a letter Ms. Inman sent to the Washoe County Commission:

As a retired high school English teacher, I urge you to reject the temptation to approve a marijuana retail outlet in Incline Village, Nevada. Those in pain with a need for the drug have ample means to acquire it. Our teens also seem to be able to acquire recreational marijuana easily.

The added tax money for Washoe County is not worth the harm such places can do to a small community. The disastrous tax increase last decade caused a flight of middle class, solid citizens from the village. We have yet to recover from that.

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With the influx of part time vacationers and skiers each winter, I can foresee that more buzzed visitors will just encourage more full-time middle class owners to leave. As a full-time resident, I have contributed to the building of two new schools in the last 20 years, each of which is only partially filled as a result of county policies detrimental to our health. Please do not put another nail in the coffin!

One last personal experience. A few years ago I got a ticket for driving too fast in a school zone. At court I sat waiting my turn as defendant after defendant came before the judge for driving under the influence of marijuana. Already so many young students seem to think that this drug is safer than alcohol. It is not.

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And I’ve witnessed too many young students destroying their brain and their future. Government must not encourage the notion that marijuana is harmless. Approving retail outlets does that.

Please help us keep Incline Village a safe place for us all.

Diane K. Inman

Incline Village