Readers Respond to Commissioner Amanda Fritz’s Email to a Parent Concerned About a Cannabis Dispensary Near His Daughter’s School

“There was and still is a porn shop across the street from my middle school. Get over it.”

Electric Lettuce cannabis dispensary in Portland. (Liz Allan)
By WW Staff

Last week, we wrote about an email City Commissioner Amanda Fritz sent a Sellwood parent who was concerned about an Electric Lettuce cannabis dispensary opening up next to his daughter's school ("Eat Your Lettuce," WW, Aug. 14, 2019). Fritz said the shop's plans are legal and offered some unsolicited parenting advice. "Do you avoid taking your children to restaurants where alcohol is served?" she wrote. "Why do you consider cannabis more harmful than alcohol?" Here's what readers had to say.

Relit Rappinz, via Facebook: "Lord forbid we educate our kids past understanding what a Walgreens is."

R Jason Luedtke, via Facebook: "We are losing Portland livability because our mayor and council members have an agenda."

Jodie Gasper Nichols, via Twitter: "Siri: Set reminder to vote for Amanda Fritz anytime she runs for something."

Kelly Alexander, via Facebook: "Seriously, you take your kids into every brewery I visit but have a problem with weed?"

Power slouch, via Twitter: "My children go to this day care, and I can't even believe this is a thing people are upset about. I wish people would find literally ANYTHING more productive to help the next generation of kids. I suppose I shouldn't be surprised, though."

Clark Johnson, via Facebook: "Fritz really went over the edge on this and owes that father an extremely humble apology."

Abraham N. Rodríquez, via Facebook: "I'm not a fan of her a lot of the time, but I gotta say I agree with her here."

Michelle Rose, via Facebook: "Such FEAR! Does this parent believe that their child will somehow be allowed to wander into the store and the operators will offer her daughter free samples?"

Jenna Anderson, via Facebook: "I've worked at bars where we frequently had parents arguing over why they can't bring their kids in. Probably the same parents aghast about a dispensary."

David Meltzer, via Facebook: "The worst thing about the Electric Lettuce chain are the signs that say Dope and Reefer. How can they get away with that? Imagine a liquor store sign saying Booze and Hooch."

Joe Cushing, via Facebook: "There was and still is a porn shop across the street from my middle school. Get over it."

Hungry_Bolshevik, via Twitter: "I'm a parent living in Sellwood, I have no problem with this dispensary opening. I do have a problem with NIMBY neighbors, and this preschool whose tuition is more expensive than my family's rent each month."

Alison Nosila, via Facebook: "I'm so tired of having to see children and their stupid crap when I'm out just trying to buy some weed."

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