To the Editor:

The debate over cannabis dispensaries in Princeton has at times characterized many Princeton residents as “for” or “against.” I think we should be fair to all sides and “for” or “against” is not the most productive way to have a discussion with our neighbors. Some people in town are excited but some of us are concerned and I’m sure a few are both. I would like to address those concerns — two in particular: our children and our neighborhoods.

As a father of two daughters in the district I am extremely concerned about marijuana in Princeton schools, particularly Princeton High School. The truth is there is marijuana in Princeton High School right now — without any pot shops — it’s there in a student’s backpack or locker. When I was in high school I knew who had it and I knew what students would share it with you. Our kids do too.

The real issue is normalization. If there’s a store, conspicuously renting retail space, in the fanciest part of our town will our kids believe us when we tell them people who smoke pot are morally bankrupt or destined for failure? Of course the answer is “no,” but unfortunately they already don’t believe it. This generation is too smart for that. Every high schooler already personally knows a kind, Ivy-bound fellow student who sneaks off to smoke pot in the woods. When we try to say otherwise, we only hurt our own credibility. To be clear, that student shouldn’t be sneaking off to smoke weed, but she is. We must have tough conversations with our children about responsible use, appropriate ages for experimentation, and resistance to peer pressure. Tough conversations are part of parenting, and we should not try to use zoning ordinances to shirk that responsibility.

The effect on our neighborhoods is important as well. There is certainly an element of NIMBYism in the arguments of those concerned, but that’s OK to a point. I am also concerned about what Princeton will look like with dispensaries in it. Cannabis dispensaries could look like “smoke shops’’ with bright lights and bongs stacked on glass shelves in the window. They could also look like any other high-end, personalized boutique in town. That’s precisely the power the town has. The state will not grant a license without municipal approval, and the responsibility falls on our municipal government — specifically the town Council — to identify those operators who should get that approval. Too much of the debate has focused on whether we should have three dispensaries or one or zero. Instead we should ask our representatives to identify potential dispensary operators that are true small businesses and who have a vision that aligns with Princeton’s values and aesthetics and then, and only then, grant approval to those dispensaries we’re most comfortable with.

Brian London
Orchard Circle