Editor,

According to the Washington State Liquor Control Board, even though the Island County Board of Commissioners approved a moratorium for six months, it will not affect licensing and applications.

What the moratorium does is force investors to spend thousands on application fees while a handful of people decide if they personally want this business in Island County.

The six-month moratorium essentially doubles license fees for anyone applying in Island County because license fees are due upon approval of the license, Jan. 1, regardless of any moratorium.

The current set of laws force Island County residents to purchase marijuana through organized crime networks.

Many of these same networks supply heroin, meth and other synthetic drugs.

Island County marijuana users are currently funneling $2-3 million a month to these cartels and networks.

The six-month moratorium pushes this new industry out of the county along with the jobs and economic stimulus that goes with it.

At the risk of sounding like a conspiracy nut, when pubic officials side with the interests of organized crime someone needs to investigate those people.

Jon Youngblood

Oak Harbor