Gazette readers are split in their support of a movement to legalize recreational marijuana sales in Colorado Springs, according to feedback the newspaper received on its social media over the weekend.

The Gazette asked readers in two separate posts Friday on Facebook to share their thoughts on two competing ballot questions that proposed authorizing the sales in city limits or prohibiting retail cannabis establishments locally. Among 52 responses across both posts, readers touted the benefits of legalizing recreational sales, such as additional tax revenue, while others feared it could lead to increased crime, including difficulties ticketing drivers who operate a vehicle while under the influence of cannabis.

Colorado Springs voters this month rejected a City Council-backed ballot question that sought to more permanently ban recreational marijuana sales in the city, and approved a resident-backed question that will legalize sales.

Final unofficial results last updated by the El Paso County Clerk and Recorder’s Office at 8:23 p.m. Thursday show Question 2D, which would amend the city charter to prohibit recreational marijuana establishments in Colorado Springs, is failing, 49.4% to 50.6%.

The competing resident-backed Question 300, which asks voters to authorize the city’s roughly 90 existing medical marijuana shops to also opt into selling retail cannabis products, is passing 54.7% to 45.3%.

There is still about a week and a half until results are official, after the Canvass Board certifies the vote count on Nov. 27. Thursday’s updated results, though, provide a solid idea of how official results stand.

“It’s a good thing for tax revenue. City Council is a small group trying to control the will of the voters,” Rick Foster wrote in part. “It’s not the council’s job to decide where cannabis is dispensed. Allow the established dispensaries (to) pay their fees and adjust their businesses to separate (medical) from (recreational) cannabis and help control distribution to valid customers.”

About $10 million to $15 million in revenues from local retail cannabis sales are estimated to support dedicated initiatives: public safety, mental health services and post traumatic stress disorder treatments for veterans, as outlined in Question 300.

Whitney Elizabeth said she opposed legalizing recreational cannabis sales, fearing it could increase crime and negatively affect Colorado Springs’ status as the continued permanent home of U.S. Space Command.

“… I am all for medicinal purposes; I see the benefits. I, however, have seen the detrimental impact to families, and children, from the recreational use. And not by the users themselves, but how they destroy families. It is much harder for law enforcement to handle and test ‘high drivers,’ (as) opposed to (their) ability to use breathalyzers for alcohol,” she wrote in part.

Others, such as Michael Bedell, said he would rather see all types of marijuana sales in Colorado Springs “go away.”

Tony Perri inferred Colorado Springs should see the benefits of increased tax revenue. “People from (Colorado) Springs are just driving to Palmer Lake, Manitou or Pueblo and bringing it (recreational marijuana) back anyway,” he wrote.