Resident tells council she believes marijuana use ruined a relative’s health

At the Aug. 4 Auburn City Council meeting public-comment period, resident Virginia Haugen of Auburn told the council that a relative has “destroyed her health” through long-term marijuana use and urged the council to consider marijuana’s harms. Haugen introduced herself as living at 2503 R Street Southeast and said she had voted to legalize marijuana. She said the relative moved from alcohol to marijuana, which Haugen described as “a mind altering drug,” and said the relative’s life and health were “destroyed” by use. Haugen added that family members had taken advantage of the relative’s social-security and pension benefits. She closed by saying she had visited the relative that day and described the situation as “very, very difficult.” The remarks were delivered during the public-comment segment and were presented as personal testimony; no council action, staff response or policy proposal on marijuana regulation followed during the meeting.