Jul 30, 2013

Hey Pot Cops, Meth and Heroin Are Worse.

I live in what's known as the "emerald triangle" in northern California.  In the city I live, meth and heroin are becoming a pretty huge problem, yet, the authorities here have a gigantic boner for busting pot grows. There's surely a problem with illegal weed production and especially in protected forests. But take a walk down 4th street in Eureka, or the Roach Motels along Broadway.  These people are not on weed.  Every other story in the local news is about a traffic stop that led to narcotics. Not weed.. meth and junk. But millions of dollars are being spent on busting farmers. There's even TV shows glorifying DEA and local drug task force units using helicopters and military grade gear to essentially find plants and cut them down. In counties where most of the big logging and fishing industries have all but dried up, they rely on tourism for revenue, but when the streets are littered with drugged out zombies, people aren't going to want to keep coming here. 





In a time in history when public opinion, not only locally but nationally is leaning towards legalization of marijuana, I think law enforcement efforts need to focus on the real drug problems that are becoming more and more prevalent in these scenic quaint communities.  In my personal opinon I think that they just go after the easy target. Pot farms are everywhere up here, and ripe for the picking, usually run by peaceful people trying to make a living, selling a harmless (compared to alcohol) drug to people. It gives these cop cowboys an excuse to play with their toys. To have a sense of accomplishment, and feel like rockstars. But really, not really helping the problem at large. The war on drugs, especially pot, is pretty pointless. And if we're being honest, a war on drugs, if it can be won at all is probably going to be won in South America, not in the farms of Humboldt.  As it stands, just like the Terrorists are winning the war on terror, Drugs are winning the war on drugs. Actually, who's really winning both wars is the companies selling all of the guns, riot gear, tanks, laser sights, bullets, missiles, fighter planes, etc. They're winning everything... and guess who's paying for it all?  Yup, you and me.

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