Only a few short weeks have passed since election day and already it is clear that parents who reject the idea that recreational drug use is acceptable, whether you are an adult or a child, will have to work harder to ingrain that same value in their children.

Even before the final votes were tallied, marijuana smokers began publicly flaunting their use with the correct assumption that nothing would be done about their open usage despite the fact that it isn’t yet legal. In the past handful of days in our own small town we have seen several instances of such behavior and the situation in Seattle is far worse.

Last weekend my children had their much-anticipated annual sleepover in Seattle with their godmother and once again enjoyed strolling through the busy streets so different from home. As always, my husband and I looked forward to hearing their new experiences and observations, but our enthusiasm was quickly dashed by their reporting of rampant marijuana use on the streets. My 10-year-old commented that he had to keep holding his breath because he couldn’t stand the smell of it.

It sickens me to think of my child inhaling somebody’s drug and I keep wondering how we got here…..oh yes, it was for the kids, the tax money for education.

I wonder how many of those lucky beneficiaries will become users as adults now that pot has been deemed OK. It goes without saying that some of them would have tried it regardless, but also needless to say is the fact that those who are inherently rule followers will not have the law as a barrier now, all but ensuring an increase in users.

More blessed tax money, hooray.

And yes, I know, there is money to be saved in our court system now that it isn’t a crime, or will that same money get spent regulating it. There is plenty of money spent every year on DUI enforcement.

For all of the other smokescreen reasons given to vote for legalization, this came down to a money vote. Our children learned the sad truth; money trumps everything for the majority of people.

There is no reason to believe us now when we say to them that meth or cocaine or oxy are bad things because all these years we have told them marijuana use is wrong and now we’ve changed our minds, or did we just take a bribe?

The message in my home will remain unchanged; drugs are the wrong choice regardless of who profits from the sale. They do nothing for your life but sabotage it and rob it of raw, real experiences.

Brandy Garton

Enumclaw