Voting does not get issues on the ballot, activism does. And if a police officer feels a law is a waste of time, they need to start speaking on the statehouse steps. Actually it should be considered the duty of every citizen. Considering that pretty much every poll, legitmate or otherwise shows a strong majority of Americans at the least do not support the current level of prosecution for marijuana possession, the message does not appear to be getting through to those who make our laws.

Public records are a two edged sword. I'm an advocate for restricting access to a lot of information when no legitimate public interest is served.

 

 

I never said I was for the legalization of MJ. Nor do the voters in several states that have rejected the legalization of MJ agree that it should be legalized. What I said was is that the people I work for have the right to make the laws. And I will uphold those laws. I do not agree with the legalization of MJ for any reason. While I am sure a large segment of our society can use MJ without any negative side effects, from my job perspective; I don't see it. Every hard core drug addict that I have interviewed over the last 30 plus years have all stated that their drug use started with MJ. That's what I work with on a daily basis. I see what drug use has done to our society and more importantly what it has done to our children. I will support any law as voted on by the people I have sworn to protect and serve. But I will not vote for the legalization of Marajuana.

Your on your own with that one.

And before you throw in the alcohol use statement. I don't drink and very few of the Officers that I work with drink. We have never met at a bar after a bust and high fived over a beer. We go home to our families.

 

F150Europe posted:
Although in the basement, heatseaking cameras could have picked up the enormous heat from the lamps.

Actually, The US Supreme court ruled in Kyllo V United states that the use of a thermal imaging device was a violation of the 4th Amendment and concluded it was an Illegal Search and Seizure.

He had a bunch of grow lights, they used thermal imaging, and Light Bill Receipts to get a search warrant to raid the house in 1991, and it was eventually ruled unconstitutional in a 2001 decision. BTW it was in Florence, Oregon

Just thought all you "heads" might enjoy the FYI...... LOL

Oh yeah, if you answer the door, and a cop says you can't go back inside unless accompanied a a Police Officer until he can get a search warrant , he can legally do so(another recent Supreme court ruling). Your house can be legally seized due to exigent circumstances(destroying evidence) so don't think the threshold of your doorway can protect you.

 

I agree. Not everyone that smokes the stuff is a pot head. If someone is there is a good chance that they are brain dead enough to do something else to get arrested for.

There could be a ton of tax revenue created. The stuff is cheap to produce. They could put so much tax on it that it wouldn't be any cheaper than it is now. That would help a little in keeping it out of the hands (and heads) of minors.

I would think that if it were legalized law enforcement could ramp up the efforts to bust the people who are doing things they aren't supposed to be doing, under the influence.

There is a stigma attached. When there are rallies to legalize it, it's the wrong people representing the cause. I don't think it's possible at this time to convince a majority that legalization could be beneficial.

The person who got busted had a he11 of a set up. Obviously put a lot of work into it. Too bad they didn't put as much work into being inconspicuous.

 

I dont know how long he ran the operation, but the investigation took 5 years, so we know atleast 5 years before he got caught. How much more inconspicous can you be with that amount of quantity for production?




Also, I didn't realize that thermal imaging devices could infiltrate the ground. How many feet below ground level was this operation?

 

There are much worse drugs than marijuana for sure. That doesn't necessarily mean that I would like to see marijuana legalized. I prefer things the way they are now. I do not smoke marijuana, I have never smoked marijuana, and I don't want my kids to smoke marijuana.

While I agree that the tax revenue from the sale of marijuana would be great if used for a good purpose, I still disagree with the legalization of marijuana.

 

I haven't smoked it since I was a kid, but I'd vote to legalize it.

If legalized then taxes would be a side benefit. I don't want my girls to smoke it either, but I know that ultimately I have no control over that. I was raised that it was wrong, but that just made it that much more tempting for me to try it. I hope my kids are smarter than me, but if not then I'd prefer them to use something that's been produced and distributed under regulations. That way it is less likely for it to be laced and them be taken advatage of. Atleast then we could blame the guy that took advantage for lacing it.

 

Holy crap! By my quick calculations **(disclaimer)**
Minimum of 500 plants/crop X 2 oz/plant = 1000 oz./16 = 62.5 pounds
1 oz. X $200 X 1000 oz = $200,000.00/crop
1 crop/60 days = $100,000.00/mo = $1.2M/yr x 5 years of investigating = $6,000,000.00
I don't think they finished paying the mortgage on the cave.

** don't trust my calculations as evidenced inthe gas price thread.**

 

I don't drink either, but I do smoke ciggerettes and enjoy them.
So if they became illegal, then I'd probably become a criminal.
I agree there has to be a line, but just seems like the current line was drawn randomly. Like they made a list, blind folded a guy, spun him around then had him make a mark on the paper. Anything above the mark is legal anything below the mark is not.
Yes I think it could destroy lifes, marriages, lose jobs etc. But it's going to be the same people mis using it as the ones mis using it or alcohol now. I dont think that legalizing it would increase or decrease that number. Of course I could be wrong, but if someone is looking for an escape, they will find it wether legally or illegally.

 

I wonder how many murders, bank heists, rapes and other violent crimes have been committed by "stoners" vs. "hard druggies & alcoholics". I know htere aren't many "speeders" who are "stoners".

 

You just think your a speeder. Actual speed = 5mph= ticket for drivng to slow. I've always wanted a ticket for driving to slow, I would frame it for all the people who say that I drive to fast.

 

All it takes is concentration. But just don't keep staring at the speedo for like, 5 minutes.

 

The 12 states that have legalized it for medical use have seen their citizens harassed by the feds so it doesn't surprise me that a couple of states have voted against legalization, especially when they're bombarded by misinformation from various anti-drug groups with far more influence and money than the relatively small organizations working for reform and even governors have stated why bother since the feds would ride roughshod on states rights anyway.

You don't like people judging all cops by the actions a few yet you just admitted doing the same with drug addicts. That's great expy.

Tell me something, how many of those hard core addicts you interview do you think would be addicts if they had never tried marijuana? Chances are all of them because contrary to the propaganda, there is no gateway effect, marijuana use does not cause hard core drug use, addiction is an issue that exists in and of itself. I'd also like to know how you phrased your questions because overwhelmingly, alcohol is the first drug people try. But it's rather moot since marijuana does not create drug addicts.

Then sadly you will continue to deal with the problems caused by it's prohibition. I've seen what the use of some drugs have done to society, but we're talking about marijuana, not drug use in general, and the reality is, there is no real evidence to show that marijuana use, as is the case with many things, poses any significant threat to society.

The issue of juvenile drug use is a seperate issue and I haven't seen anyone propose legalization of marijuana for minor children. Amongst juveniles however, it should be noted that marijuana use poses the least threat to our childrens health and safety of any drug available to them.

Not really, the movement is growing as more people see that our current policies in fact have exacerbated the situation. It doesn't help when people see the feds going after medical use in states that have legalized it as it shows how irrational our government can be towards the issue.

But it gets thrown in anyway for one simple fact. By the governments own numbers and statistics, alcohol remains the most dangerous and costly drug in this country, in terms of lives lost, lives ruined and even economic costs, alcohol is public enemy number one, marijuana isn't even on anyones top 5 list. According to the facts, alcohol should be subject to the same narcotics scheduling as marijuana, and marijuana shouldn't even be on the schedule.

Now if you advocate prohobition of alcohol, then we can leave alcohol out of it, otherwise we have to bring it up to point the lack of logic in your argument.

But since you are in law enforcement, maybe you'll consider what your peers in Britain have to show for their decrimilization efforts, less crime, more resources for more serious issues. In fact, those countries that have either legalized it or substantially decriminalized it's use have enjoyed the same benefits.

 

Can't give you numbers on that, just my own experience. Usually stoners are alot easier to deal with. Much easier than drunks. Now it's the meth addicts that are getting violent and breaking into homes, stealing cars, etc. Desperate for money to buy meth, they will do anything. Stoners are funny to me. Especially when I talk to a guy that is 30 years old and still lives with Mom and Dad because he can't keep a job. We did a search warrant on a residence where the son was selling MJ out of Mom and Dad's house. The guy was 35 years old. No life. No car. No job. When I pointed it out to him, it doesn't register because he is stoned. Usually if a stoner is giving the Police a hard time, it's because he has mixed in some coke or meth. or both. Not to say a stoner hasn't commited a violent crime, I just haven't seen it.