Cannabis clash
Re “New rules for medical pot,” Editorial, March 12
Ispent more than 32 years as an officer with a local police department as well as an additional six years as a deputy district attorney with Los Angeles County. During those nearly four decades, a significant percentage of my time and effort was devoted to investigating, arresting and prosecuting countless narcotics and illicit drug offenders.
Within my initial few months as a cop, I made an arrest for possession of one partially smoked marijuana cigarette, a crime that was classified as a felony at that time. Early on as a prosecutor, I sent one individual to prison for 25 years to life (a “third striker”) for possession of a tiny bindle of heroin under the seat of his car.
Looking back on all those years of kicking doors, serving search warrants, removing drug-trade participants from their homes and presenting drug-related cases in court, I am left with one question: Why?
The amount of tax money spent on this (obviously futile) effort could be better used on enhanced education of our youths about the perils of substance abuse (including alcohol) as well as on rehabilitation programs for those who “slip through the cracks.” We’d likely still have money left over for other worthy programs.
Jim Weyant, Big Bear City