Letter to the Editor: Opt Out of Marijuana Sales in Scarsdale

(This is a letter to the editor from Tracy Tang of Harvest Drive)
Good afternoon. My name is Tracy Tang. I’m a resident of Scarsdale.

As you know, our village is going to vote in mid-December on whether to opt out/in of permitting a marijuana dispensary and a marijuana store in Scarsdale.

I have two boys, one in 9th and the other in 7th grade. My older boy spends most of the time hanging around in the high school and the village with his friends. As a mother, I am concerned about the potential impact on teenagers’ attitudes towards and perceptions of marijuana.

A recent survey from high school students showed that most students perceived marijuana as less harmful than tobacco and alcohol. In my view, allowing a marijuana store or lounge in our village really reinforces the acceptance of marijuana as a recreational substance for youth. The Scarsdale Drug and Alcohol Task Force cites the critical correlation between early use of marijuana with later chronic adult use, as well as the drug's negative impact on brain development.

The last hearing for whether to opt out of allowing a marijuana store or lounge was on November 23. A large number of residents showed up to voice their demand for Scarsdale to opt out, including the President, Karen Ceske, and Executive Director, Jay Genova, of the Scarsdale& Edgemont Family Council.
I and two other moms, Nanthini Sriskanthan and Xiaobing Zhang, started this petition to ask our trustees to opt out of allowing a marijuana store or lounge in our village. So far, the petition has been signed by more than 570 residents. The overwhelming message is “Let Scarsdale be Scarsdale: a place focused on families, children, education and community.”

If you agree with this message, please sign this petition on and before December 10th, the deadline for written comments, before the Village Trustees’ meeting to vote on this matter.

Thank you.
Very truly yours,
Tracy Tang
56 Harvest Drive