Voices heard on prescription pot

A few Hill City residents reached out to City officials recently in an effort to revisit the recently passed medical marijuana resolution.

Aldermen passed a resolution which created one at- large license that could be used for an additional dispensary license, which is one more than the state codified laws require.

And these residents think it’s one more than Hill City needs.

Resident Ben Larson was prompted to contact city officials “when I learned that they approved extra licenses. I don’t think they realize the effects that can come from it. ”

Larson worked at STAR Academy in Custer for close to a decade.

He said he’s seen firsthand the effects marijuana can have on young children. He heard stories from the youth he came in contact with and he thinks recreational marijuana will have a terrible effect on families and youth in the area.

“Don’t believe the lies that marijuana is harmless,” he says. “I’ve seen brain scans of people using marijuana. It affects developing brains. It can have serious effects on youth.”

While he realizes these establishments are for people over the age of 18, he knows how easy it is for children to have access to prescription drugs that are around their home. He was disappointed in the logic behind the council’s decision to offer more than one dispensary license

 “We don’t even have a pharmacy here and we have to have one business to supply one medication,” making a point as to the practicality of the state’s dispensary requirement. 

And it’s just a start, Larson said, saying he believes recreational marijuana will be here too. He understands that Pennington County and neighboring cities might have more than one dispensary and the logic of saying Hill City might as well make a profit from it. But he wants his aldermen to know that people in Hill City value community above profit, which is why he reached out to make his concerns known.

Andrew and Janelle Schock  just want to make Hill City a better place and they don’t believe having more than one dispensary will do that. That’s why they sent an email stating their opposition to more than one dispensary. 

Andrew works in the medical profession and has done so for over 20 years. He sees first hand how legal drugs like Oxycontin can easily get abused and fall into the wrong hands. The Shocks worry about this. They, too, pointed out that Hill City doesn’t even have a pharmacy, and although the town has a clinic it doesn’t even have “an x-ray machine or a suture kit,” said Andrew. 

The Shocks say there are residents of Hill City who have significant drug problems.

“Children are destroyed by drugs and having more access to more substances that can give a person a high is a bad thing,” Andrew said.

They couple hopes aldermen reverse course and allow only one dispensary license. And if a dispensary opens they hope it  is well-regulated and will be managed by a medical provider such as a doctor, a physician’s assistant or a nurse practitioner.

“That way somebody who runs it can control it,” Andrew said.

Mike Verchio is a former legislator who also reached out to city officials. He thinks it’s ridiculous that the state is requiring each town to have a dispensary. 

“How come they don’t require every town to have a pharmacy? That’s far more important,” he said. 

Like Larson he is concerned about the accessibility to youth and the effects medical cannabis will have. Overall he’s not a big believer in the medical marijuana benefits.

He is pleased the town is listening though. He told the mayor flatly that whether or not he votes for her depends on the outcome of this particular resolution. 

“I do believe she’s getting the message,” he said.

Aldermen  received numerous calls and emails regarding this topic. They agreed to  re-address this issue and look at the recently passed resolution at the next meeting March 14 at 5:30 p.m.