Pro-Liberty News and Opinion | Libertarian Voluntaryist

Rapper Beanie Siegel was arrested in New Jersey for possession of marijuana while on his way to a show.

California wildfires have been allegedly linked to marijuana growers. Something like 70 percent of all marijuana plants seized by the US government are found on public land. Maybe if the plant was legal to grow and sell we wouldn’t have this problem. It would more likely be grown in a safer environment where the farmers are not forced to build outdoor camp fires to cook food. The farmers would also own the property they were growing on, so they would be more likely to keep it safe.

Two Honolulu police officers were caught in Las Vegas smoking marijuana in a parked van.

Walnut Creek, California, a community located almost 20 miles east of Oakland, is freaking out over it’s first medical marijuana dispensary application. After realizing the town had no restrictions to stop such an establishment, the city council called for a 45-day moratorium on marijuana dispensaries while they figure out what to do. My prediction? The council will take the time to find some obscure rule/law or permit violation and deny the dispensary.

Another insanely rich and successful person has admitted to smoking marijuana. This time it is Brad Pitt. You can add him to the long list of celebrities, athletes, politicians, musicians and presidents who have admitted to smoking the stuff in the past.

Washington Post article calls for the legalization of drugs.

Speaking of prohibition, it would be a bad idea to ban Salvia Divinorum.

Rosie Lee Bright, a breast cancer patient, was handcuffed and forced to lie on the ground when federal agents burst into the wrong apartment looking for alleged drug traffickers.

The cops later realized their mistake and went to the apartment next door to apprehend the two suspects.

I’m sure this was a traumatic experience for her, but it’s a good thing she didn’t have a dog.

A group of armed thugs burst violently into the home of a Portland Oregon woman, forcing her husband and roommate to the floor at gunpoint. They were screaming, “Where’s Tim?” Tim was there, alright, but it was the wrong guy.

The would-be thieves were looking for a Tim that they believed was a drug dealer and marijuana grower. Emily Morden knew it must have been a mistake. “Tim is not a drug dealer! He works at Fred Meyer!” she said, later adding, “Are you sure you have the right house?”

Turns out they did not.

The Tim they were looking for was a medical marijuana grower that lived next door.

Realizing their mistake, the criminals slowly backed out of the house while apologizing to the family for their inadequate map using abilities.

The outcome seems almost comical.

What is not funny, however, is that police offers have raided the wrong house on numerous occasions, employing the same strategies as these thugs.

They violently break down the front doors of homes they believe to be inhabited by seedy drug dealers. They force everyone in the building to the ground. If your dog gets riled up, it will likely be shot for the safety of the officers.

What? No drugs in the house? Huh? 698 Maple Drive? I thought you said 689. We shouldn’t even be here!

At least in the case of Emily Morden the criminals apologized and were prosecuted and sentenced. So much can not be said for the police officers in their no-knock wrong house drug raids.

All of these cases are a direct consequence of the War on Drugs. A war that has done little to solve the problem that it set out to fix. But that is the nature of war, and this war will not end anytime soon. There will always be collateral damage.

I just hope it isn’t you or I.

digitaljournal.com

On the one hand, United States federal government officials have consistently denied that marijuana has any medical benefits. On the other, the government actually holds patents for the medical use of the plant.

Just check out US Patent 6630507 titled “Cannabinoids as antioxidants and neuroprotectants” which is assigned to The United States of America, as represented by the Department of Health and Human Services.

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