As frequent readers know I am completely and absolutely against medical marijuana because hemp has the same supposed medical value without THC’s mind altering effects.

The state just passed the recreational law making its use legal. My Republican Representative, David Welter, was designated by his leadership to make the law bi-partisan. This gave him a unique and outsized opportunity to shape the law. He was able to allow businesses and communities to ban its use. Imagine if it hadn’t been added to the law. We could have had stoners running our nukes. I’m afraid we will still have drivers of cars and big rigs high and the drug is active for hours and days.

We still disagree on whether he should have tilted at the windmill and voted against it but at least he made it more palatable than it would have been without his input. I can give him a little better than a tepid “thanks for your work.”

He also voted for the nineteen cent raise in the gas tax. He expected I would be displeased in his vote to raise but I told him, I had been pushing for 25 cents. So drivers, I can give him a bent thumbs-up for getting 80%. I told him my current Cherokee gets twice the mileage of my van so I pay half the gas tax for the same wear on the roads. A greater tax was necessary.

I also explained my proposal on Toll Roads which affect only the big rigs which cause the most damage. He said he would look into the Rhode Island plan which is where I got the idea.