Recently Gov. Paul LePage signed into Maine Law the referendum for recreational use of marijuana. Along with that legally-positive stroke of the pen, LePage timely and appropriately informed Maine lawmakers of the need for funds to administer this new law relative to operational and enforceable parameters.

Bouquets to LePage for promptly and publicly addressing the fact that enactment of this measure created a “cart before the horse” situation; recreational use was authorized sans sufficient governing measures to make it work.

The governor is in the process of formulating a group charged with implementing provisions of the referenced law for legislative attention. He has been out front with sensitive comments of senses voiced by both sides of the referendum and he is about to fill the gap the vote created.

This marijuana matter refreshed my memory, after years, of my judge days, when I ran into a resident of Starks, one of the towns in my court area. He used marijuana. We often discussed the public, summer events held in Starks to promote recreational use of marijuana. He was a decent dude. To his admirable credit, he never appeared in Farmington District Court for possession of marijuana during my 15-year tenure. Evidently, we practiced mutual respect.

I’ve never smoked tobacco or marijuana. Arguably, one of the reasons I’m 85. Funny thing though, marijuana-talk was the glue of our friendship.

John Benoit

Manchester

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