To the Editor:
I strongly urge the residents of Bar Harbor to reject the November referendum question allowing the establishment of two marijuana shops in the downtown area.
These shops would significantly alter the character of the downtown area and adversely affect downtown residents.
Proponents have argued that the marijuana industry is already sufficiently well-regulated. True or not, this argument misses the point. The bars downtown are also sufficiently well-regulated, but their patrons are not, nor can we expect them to be. Stroll downtown any late weekend evening after the bars have shut off their music and closed their doors and you will find patrons wandering the area, yelling, arguing, cackling at high volume, oblivious to the residents they impact. Adding readily available marijuana to the mix would only make matters worse.
If the town does not consider the needs of downtown residents, the pressures on these neighborhoods will continue to grow and the year-round population will continue to decline.
Sam Gaines
Bar Harbor