Panel to discuss 'communities and marijuana' in downtown Bellingham May 13

The Campus Community Coalition will present “Marijuana – Get the Facts: An Open Forum from Multiple Perspectives” from 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday, May 13, at the Mount Baker Theater Encore Room, 112 Champion St. in Bellingham.

In light of recent marijuana legalization and legislative changes in the state of Washington, many community members aren’t clear on precisely what the new laws state. Additionally, legalization has created the need for new conversations and a new lens through which to view marijuana. The purpose of the forums is to present facts from multiple perspectives, increase people’s knowledge about legal marijuana, and provide attendees the information they need to have informed conversations with family, friends, neighbors and policy makers.

The May 13 event, subtitled “Communities and Marijuana,” includes a panel discussion that will feature: an explanation by law enforcement about the specifics of the marijuana legislation and how it is being enforced in communities; a prevention/intervention expert who will discuss addiction and the problems that can arise for some populations who use marijuana, even legally; and a representative from NORML, who will discuss how marijuana legalization can be viewed through the lens of being a social justice issue.

The CCC has deliberately worked to make this a respectful and open sharing of multiple, sometimes differing perspectives. The goal of the event is not to promote a particular viewpoint, but to expose attendees to a variety of sources of information and then to encourage further dialogue within the community.

For more information about the event, email the Campus Community Coalition at CCC@wwu.edu.