DON'T IGNORE MARIJUANA USE

I was happy that the PNC Bank Arts Center finally cracked down on
teenage drinking and tailgating in the parking lot before concerts.
We need to keep enforcing the laws that were made for everyone's
safety. Thanks to all the law enforcement and people at PNC for
doing the right thing.

However, there is another problem that needs to be addressed. I
attended the Allman Brothers Band concert in July with my
16-year-old son. We had lawn seats and ended up standing because we
were a little late, which was fine with all the great acoustics and
big-screen TVs. The security guards were present and kept the crowd
in designated areas. I saw the State Police on the periphery of the
concert but not in the concert area. What really surprised me was
the blatant smoking of marijuana and the smell wafting through the air.

Last time I checked, marijuana was illegal even for medicinal use.
The message being sent to our youth is very mixed: Alcohol is
illegal until 21 years old; marijuana is illegal all the time, but
it's OK at a concert.

Both drugs alter your perception and judgment, which would make
driving hazardous. If you attended that concert you would agree we
do have a problem. We are just kidding ourselves when we are sending
our children the "Just Say No" message to drugs and not following
through with our obligation to them to enforce it.

Joan Palermo

Ocean Township