More on federal raids on medical marijuana
Thanks for your comments, Adam. I’m re-posting your comment below.
Here’s Gwen Florio’s story today about Roger Dowty’s marijuana and olive oil caps. It sounds like he too believes the raids will, err, weed out the illegitimate operations.
“I loved it,” Dowty said of the warrants executed in search of evidence of involved in large-scale marijuana trafficking and tax evasion. Such actions, he said of the raids, will help cull illegally run operations and underscore the legitimacy of others.
The product sounds pretty intense: “One 10 mg caplet – which he sells for $1 – is the equivalent of about three joints, with an effect lasting up to nine hours, he said.”
My word.
Anyway, this from Adam Hertz, who made a bid this year for the Ward 2 city council seat Cynthia Wolken landed:
The reporting on the raids has been misleading, or at the very least deficient from almost all sources. Don’t forget how many hundreds of shops were not raided. It would appear that the Feds targeted medical marijuana providers who may not have been operating in compliance with Montana’s Medical Marijuana Act. It’s reasonable to believe that there are a few “caregivers” who may be tempted by the potential revenue from using their seemingly legitimate medical marijuana business as a smokescreen to illegally traffic drugs across state lines, sell to non cardholders, etc. The media has painted these raids as a Federal abuse of power inconsistent with the Fed’s past guidance. Based on the fact that the vast majority of medical marijuana businesses were not raided, it would appear as though the Feds are not cracking down on Montana’s right to implement the Medical Marijuana Act. Rather, it appears that they’re cracking down on those using the Act as a red herring to commit Federal offenses.
Unrelated to this story…When did it become the government’s responsibility to protect us from ourselves? If law abiding citizens want to partake in any activity or substance that doesn’t impose on someone else’s liberty and freedom, where does the Constitution give the government authority to say otherwise? Such a silly thing to waste billions of dollars on, when the government could be making billions in revenue were it legal and taxed. Not to mention the more than 22,000 deaths in the Mexican drug war over the past three years. I can always see both sides of any argument, but in the case of marijuana prohibition I must be missing something. What good has marijuana prohibition provided the US and how could it possibly outweigh the death, cartel and gang violence, loss of potential revenue, and waste of law enforcement resources that prohibition has inarguably caused?
Missoula police chief Mark Muir has quite a different opinion on marijuana, both medical and recreational.
“The idea of dispensaries in the state of Montana has got to be something we wash out of our minds,” Muir said Wednesday.
– Keila Szpaller
March 17th, 2011 at 5:14 pm
I still think charges should have been brought by now. Further, I’m wary of competitors claiming to be legitimate taking enjoyment in their competitors getting raided.
Anyhow, innocent until proven guilty is still a legitimate principle in the US, right? This is more than just the legitimacy of pot for medicine; it’s also about due process. What if some of the businesses are found not guilty – or have NO charges brought against them? Their businesses were trashed. Boo on that.
March 18th, 2011 at 9:06 am
I comment in the paper comparing a 10mg pill to 3 joints was a misunderstanding which happens. I likely didnt communicate it correctly…a lot going on. Its a 20-25 mg caplet as being similar to smoking 3 joints over 6-9 hours…still a lot of gray as far as size of joint..strength etc. Its a very rough comparison that appears as about average… as an example. Everyone is different.
roger dowty, medicalcannabismt.com
March 19th, 2011 at 11:40 am
I work accross the street from one raid. I saw a woman in her 20s/30s thrown to the ground with a guy standing next to her with a gun. I have nothing against busting people opperating illegally, and despite not being a user, I wonder why so much conern over a drug that kills less people than aspirin. What I saw made me lose all respect for police, and used to have a lot. If you going to arrest someone read them their rights and tell them what they are being arrested for. What I saw is what I saw when I lived in Mexico and was a sign the rights of individual are dead in America. It could have been done like other arrests in America, what I saw was some bullies throwing a woman to the ground.
March 19th, 2011 at 8:49 pm
you loved it Dowty? What was there too love? At least wait until there is some evidence that these people were breaking state laws! The only way you can honestly love these raids is if your somehow profiting from them, which basically makes you as morally bankrupt as the people that want us “stoners” in prison in the first place! When the Feds come busting down you’re door I’ll be out in front of your business handing out my business card, how will you like that! Sorry but you should think before you speak! You may be right, but it’s innocent until proven guilty, and I prefer to give our side the benefit of the doubt. So who’s side are you on?
March 19th, 2011 at 8:53 pm
Oh and I believe our state law enforcement is perfectly capable of doing their job! Or do you also love the Feds coming into our state enforcing their own draconian agenda?
March 25th, 2011 at 10:43 am
I think the Missoulian should republish the exciting piece about the former Firestone building becoming a micro-whiskey distillery. Yes. Now would be a good time. Perhaps after a day reviewing the alcohol and death-by-car-by-alcohol statistics in his home town and home state, the police chief will again accept emissary status from our mayor and travel to Helena for good measure?