Monday, June 7, 2010

Law Enforcement: Meth Labs vs Marijuana Grows!




Years ago I watched a TV news interview with the Spokane county Sheriff explaining the problems of expense when busting meth labs. Basically he pointed out that meth labs are very seldom owned by the criminals and that there is little of worth to be confiscated from meth busts, then he went into comparing a meth lab bust to that of a marijuana grow. The growers quite often own their homes have nice vehicles, expensive toys, large amounts of cash and fat bank accounts that all become Police Property through confiscation.

To me the Sheriff was saying, marijuana growers are responsible people who pay their bills and save their money.

I found an article at The Spokesman Review, I think was the interview with the Spokane county Sheriff that was on the TV news. The Spokesman Review wants $2.95 just to read an archived web page, no wonder so many newspapers are going under!

On the other hand meth cooks who run small labs seldom own their home and are often quite poor. One would wonder how someone who can makes thousands of dollars worth of drugs in a few days has less money, than a grower who will take 4 to 6 months to grow a crop. The answer is addiction, one drug is very addicting and the other marijuana which is not. A lot of meth cooks use their own drug and do not cook more until they are out of drugs and money. The cooks then make another batch, and are thus living hand to mouth. This is not to say there are not large mafia and cartel labs, but those are not the garden variety everyday bust.

To make things even worse cops make deals with meth addicts to rat on growers in exchange for reduced sentencing and may even pay them as informants. It goes back to the statement "America Must Wean Law Enforcement From Their Marijuana Arrest Addiction"(@Norml). It should be a crime for Law Enforcement to use addicts as informers so they may arrest those who choose a safer non addicting herb over highly addictive narcotic prescription drugs or even alcohol.


Here is a excerpt from Methamphetamine: "The beginning of the end" at PoliceOne.com .

The "Meth Heads" or "Tweakers" (Methamphetamine users and manufacturers) are unpredictable and very dangerous. This is a very addictive drug which does not only carry with it violence from use but additionally the potential violence during the manufacturing process. This violence can be directed at law enforcement in many different ways. In addition, the violence can be directed toward citizens in the community, and in some cases, toward children by their (addicts) parents.

You are working patrol and receive a call from the manager of a motel complaining of a nasty, unpleasant, nauseating smell coming from one of the rooms. Upon your arrival you knock on the door and there is no answer. The manager uses the pass key and opens the door.

When the door opens you are hit in the face with the strong sickening smell of chemicals. While standing in the doorway you can see inside the room. You notice a glass beaker on a table filled with an opaque liquid. On the floor there is a red plastic gas can with a hose attached to the nozzle. You also observe a small grill type propane tank corroded at the valve so badly that it's turning blue. What do you do? Common sense would tell you not to go in.

Now, let's add a suspect that is standing there refusing your order to come out. What's the percentage of officers in this country that would go in and grab the suspect? I would say if not properly trained the percentage could be high. SAFETY is the most important factor when dealing with methamphetamine labs and users. Currently DEA is assisting agencies throughout the country with the investigation and removal of clandestine methamphetamine labs. We have to remember O.S.H.A. (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) regulations and the costs involved for properly tearing down and removing a clandestine methamphetamine lab.

The costs could range anywhere from $3,000 for a small lab to $100,000 for a super lab.

LINK


We read in the first paragraph the dangers of violence that meth users and makers pose to Police, Civilians, Community and even the users and makers own families. Yet in Washington State there is a saying on the streets "name three and you go free". Meaning if someone is busted for meth and they turn in three marijuana growers they go free, they might even become a paid informant! As you can see it is all about the money that a marijuana grow bust makes for the Department and not the publics safety!

While I was reading news at Digg.com, I came across an article on a quadriplegic that was busted for possession and growing of marijuana.

Quadriplegic man accused of running marijuana grow house
OCALA — A 46-year-old Ocala man was arrested Saturday night after police discovered a marijuana grow operation in his house.
Mark Weiner, who is a quadriplegic, was charged with cultivating and possessing marijuana and paraphernalia.


LINK

I did a Google search to see if I could find more details on the Mark Weiner case, and this story showed up instead.


Haring was 24 when a 1989 accident in Ohio left the trucker with a severe spinal injury and limited use of his arms and hands. He said he learned to treat his ailments with marijuana he grew himself, which he said was less harmful than the powerful prescription narcotics he used after the accident.

But Florida doesn't allow medicinal marijuana. Haring was charged with growing it in his home in 2007 and 2009. The Pinellas-Pasco State Attorney's Office determined that Haring's medical condition is legitimate, so after his 2009 arrest it offered this deal: 90 days in jail and three years of drug offender probation.

But that also means three years of drug testing. Haring must go back to using prescription painkillers.

LINK


It is very frustrating to see a patient being induced into using narcotic pain killers because the Law will not allow for a nontoxic herbal remedy! Prohibition feeds the Pharmaceutical companies large windfalls of bonuses year after year for pain pills. Prohibition also feeds the Black Markets which puts the value of marijuana at about 50 to over 500 times the cost of growing and distribution of other agricultural products. Marijuana should cost somewhere between the price of frozen Spinach or that of highly taxed Tobacco, not $80 to over $500 an ounce!

This creates a dangerous situation much the same as the prohibition of alcohol which created Violent Gangsters like Al Cappone. Marijuana Prohibition is much worse, as marijuana is one the most highly prized medicinal herbs. Marijuana is also a known cancer inhibitor, something which is needed by so very people many today.

We all need to push for the taxation of marijuana nationwide for freedom of choice, safety, health and the sanity of all Americans!

From NORML

NORML Freedom Card: Self-Preservation Still Needed During Marijuana Prohibition


The Supreme Court says suspects must explicitly tell police they want to be silent to invoke their Miranda protection during interrogations.

A right to remain silent and a right to a lawyer are the first of the Miranda rights warnings, which police recite to suspects during arrests and interrogations. But the justices said Tuesday suspects must tell police they are going to remain silent to stop an interrogation, just as they must tell police that they want a lawyer.

LINK

Protect your rights!

Alaskan Dad

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