The recent public outcry against Florida's Medical
Marijuana Amendment by law enforcement may have caught some by surprise.
Since the medical benefits of marijuana have been well
documented, why would law enforcement put one of its most visible symbols,
Grady Judd, at the forefront of their opposition?
It is also worthy to note that Pinellas County Sheriff
Bob Gualtieri has also expressed his opposition.
The argument is that Amendment 2 is just the beginning
and ultimately marijuana in all forms will become legal.
I believe it is the full legalization that is the real
problem for law enforcement.
Marijuana is big business for the growers, distributors
and street dealers.
It is also big
business for law enforcement.
From forfeiture and seizure to public funding for the
war on drugs from local taxes and federal grants for everything from prisons,
equipment and personnel, law enforcement is a major beneficiary of the marijuana
industry.
In St. Petersburg, forfeiture and seizure revenue is a
tracked attribute of the Police department.
Make marijuana legal and most of that money simply goes
away.
The problem is after years of indoctrination; law
enforcement has convinced itself that marijuana is the scourge of society
justifying arrests, forfeiture and seizure.
Take away all of those incarcerated for minor marijuana
offenses and the laws that allow their arrest and every level of law
enforcement from cops, to prosecutors, public defenders and prisons loose
"customers" and potentially a massive flow of revenue.
It is way past time to stop ruining the lives of young
people before they even get a chance with marijuana arrests and convictions.
Our prison system has become the "crime
college" where kids go and get an education in the only work option left
after "drug" arrest: crime.
Don't be swayed by what I believe is a self serving
effort on the part of those who oppose Amendment 2.
They have no real case so they try to scare you.
You can find out more about Amendment 2 the Medical
Marijuana Initiative by clicking the link.
Amendment 2 is the right thing to do.
E-mail
Doc at: dr.webb@verizon.net. Or
send me a Facebook (Gene Webb) Friend request. Please comment below, and be
sure to share on Facebook and Twitter.
Disclosures: Contributor to No Tax for Tracks.
Disclosures: Contributor to No Tax for Tracks.
Sorry doc, gonna disagree with you here. As a neurosurgeon I can tell youj there is no medical benefit from marijuana that outwiegh the risks. there arfe also better alternatives. Sure people with pain can blunt it with weed, but they also do that with alcoholism. There are better meds available. legalizing pot is a social debate - it can be done once we stgop giving away free medical care for drug abuse. But it is wrong to use the profession of medicine as a back door to legalize pot. it is also wrong to use the suffering of people to generate voters for Charlie Crist which is what Morgan And Morgan is doing here. Vote no and more to come!
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