As you all know, I have been cleared for duty and will be reporting back shortly. I have been re-reading the NH Constitution carefully so that when I return I am well versed.
I have come to a conclusion in reading the document I am sworn to defend: It is unconstitutional for the state to take action against a sick person who decides to use Marijuana to treat a medical condition.
I will never arrest a person who possesses, uses, grows marijuana to treat a medical condition……. and neither should any other NH LEO who intends follow his or her oath. I won’t even take it from them.
You can read the rest of his letter here. His argument is basically that medical marijuana has been proven to work and since police officers enforce the law with discretion (meaning they don’t enforce 100% of the laws — which would obviously be impossible), he can and will ignore the marijuana laws.
Heroic.
I wonder if he is using this stand to popularize himself for a run at the state legislature?
There ARE some good cops!
And to those who favor legalization, regulation and taxation of the currently illegal drugs, I answer yes, no and no.
Legalization, naturally. There is no basis for the laws making them illegal. But you don’t need a special tax. Once legal, sales taxes, income taxes on producers/dealers, vast savings on law enforcement and prisons will generate more than enough revenue/savings. I really hate to quote 41, but, no new taxes!
And regulation other than perhaps simple quality control standards like that applied to other farm products should be sufficient. Dept. of Agriculture does a pretty good job with that, and I’m sure there is enough slack there to add a few other products.
Interesting quote from one of the comments on that article website:
Even in prison, the only problem with marijuana is its illegality. I’ve heard more than one officer say they wish it was handed out with chow. Nobody ever had to fight a stoner.
Now that’s an interesting idea… A stoned prisoner is a docile prisoner.
I’m anti-drugs and think marijuana is a waste of time (but think anyone who hasn’t tried it once or twice is a little lame) …
That being said, marijuana users aren’t violent like drunks are.
When you weigh things according to the problems they cause, marijuana users are really the type of problem you’d like to have since there are always going to be problems.
He is obviously a good police officer. I don’t know his stance on other issues, but he using sound reasoning and judgment in this case at least. I know a few good people who are also police officers. A lot of it depends on where you live. NH is one of those states that has a pretty fair system and police force, and I make this statement based on my own experience.
Heroin has been scientifically shown to reduce pain. My knee hurts.
When I was much younger I was addicted to smoking the leaves of a plant which is clinically proven to be the cause of death for millions, and which is quite legal. Through an effort of will, I was able to sweat my way out of that addiction.
In stark contrast to that plant, during that same era I enjoyed, on random occasions, the smoke of a different plant, one whose most dangerous side-effect in my case was to stimulate the excessive consumption of cookies and milk.
I stopped using the non-addictive plant (incurring no withdrawal effects) because the price became ridiculous, and because for occasional enjoyment I grew to prefer a far more dangerous substance: Single Malt Scotch.
The only real effect of this species of shrubbery being outlawed: We as taxpayers are funding a price-support system for growers and dealers. By imprisoning a random sampling of growers and dealers we provide risk to their enterprise, thus maintaining the high prices of their products, which would otherwise have an intrinsic value no greater than perhaps Rosemary or Dill Weed.
Meanwhile, not one human being who actually wants to use this plant does without it.
Breaking news…
Bank Robber Released When Discovered In Possession of Medical Marijuana.
The apprehending officer repeated his brilliant and heroic quote, “I will never arrest a person who possesses, uses, grows marijuana to treat a medical condition.”
It doesn’t say why he has been off the job. At least I couldn’t find it.
My bet he is back off the job in a month.
Let’s discuss New Hampshire since the cop in question is from there. In New Hampshire you don’t need a license to purchase or carry a gun. You do need a license to carry concealed or carry a loaded gun in a vehicle. You may carry a pistol or revolver in a belt holster as long as it is visible. I assume that New Hampshire cops feel that requiring a license to enjoy the freedom of the 2nd amendment is wrong. If they don’t feel that way, they are powerless to try to enforce a license requirement that doesn’t exist in law.
TruthBeTold said, on January 26th, 2010 at 9:31 am
“Hmmm…
Wonder if there are any cops that feel
or that requiring a license to enjoy the freedom of the 2nd amendment is wrong”
There are plenty of good cops, and obviously this is one of them. It’s controversial but he’s public, honest, and personally accountable (good or bad) which is the right way to do this.
>Meanwhile, not one human being who actually wants to use this plant does without it.
You just contradicted yourself.
If the ban is making things more expensive, then someone is doing without it. Indeed you gave yourself as an example.
>Meanwhile, not one human being who actually wants to use this plant does without it.
>You just contradicted yourself.
>If the ban is making things more expensive, >then someone is doing without it. Indeed you >gave yourself as an example.
Rather than contradict myself, I failed to write properly:
“When pleasurable intoxication reached a certain price point, I became aware of options at that same price point that I found far more preferable, (to wit, Balvenie, et al) and thus ceased desiring the plant. However, if I did desire the plant to the same degree as Balvenie, I would certainly obtain it.”
To put it simply, for me marijuana failed to compete in the marketplace of comparably priced intoxicants. If one believes that such a price-driven shift in preference is worth trillions of dollars expended in interdiction, prosecution, and incarceration, then the war on that particular shrub can be called a success.
I doubt, however, that creating a price support system for growers, smugglers, and dealers was the specific intent of the government. It is, however the exact result they’ve achieved.
Several of you have said this is a good cop! I disagree. A cop who publicly proclaims he will not enforce the law – good or bad law though it may be – is a cop who ought to be looking for a new job. I have a brother who is a cop and I know he has on many occasions looked the other way to a little MJ, medical or not. That’s fine. But if he starts telling people he will not prosecute them when they break the law, he’s a bad cop. Cops are enforcement officers not legislators.
#34 Animby
First of all he doesn’t prosecute offenders, he arrests and charges them.
Secondly, I understand your point about selective enforcement of the law. If he had avoided enforcing the law when confronted with the offense and had not told anyone then his ethics would be out of line. However he is being public about it allowing elected civic officials take corrective action.
He is publicly owning up and being personally responsible for the outcome. That could include suspension, firing, or even an arrest. Even if you disagree with his stance I think his ethics are above board.
If you are a member of the US Military, you can be held responsible for obeying an order that is morally and ethically wrong. Maybe police and court officials should be held to the same sort of standard. “I was only following the law.” and “It’s not my job” sound a lot like “I vas only followink orders when I loaded dem Jews und gypsies on dot railcar to Auschwitz.”
Just sayin’.
Heroic./soon to be unemployed. Not saying right or wrong, just an observation.
So if you have cancer he won’t arrest you. If you don’t have cancer you bleep is still fair game.
After a life of being against legalized recreational drugs, I think I could support legalized pot (and only pot.)
But, as a drug, I think it is really stupid.
OK, it may help pain but then it gives you lung disease! That’s insane! Drugs are supposed to help people without causing an even worse disease!
http://bit.ly/aw6MIy
One reason to legalize pot is to make sure the growers are legally liable for any disease their product causes — just like the tobacco companies.
All growers should be required to pay into a really big annuity fund to pay for the inevitable lawsuits from their users.
Nope. A bad cop who shouldn’t be there.
Cops enforce the law as decided by the courts. They don’t get to decide what the law is. Good or bad.
Secondly, cops don’t decide policy. That is the function of the administration. Any cop trying to set policy is not following the policy laid out by the administration elected by the people. There can not be more than one person setting policy.
Third, does any boss like having underlings thumbing his nose at them?