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09/21/2006 Archived Entry: "An ounce of good news from the drug war"

AN OUNCE OF GOOD NEWS for cannabis smokers and drug-war opponents:

"There aren't enough federal resources on the entire planet to handle ounce size marijuana possession," Jeffrey Sweetin, a DEA agent said. "Your viewers should understand if this passes, we're really legitimately legalizing an ounce of marijuana. They're not going to be prosecuted."

In Colorado, that is. Unfortunately, the reason one ounce of weed became a federal issue (for purposes of the quoted article, that is) is that when the city of Denver recently legalized possession of an ounce or less, Denver cops kept right on persecuting. They simply used state, not city, law. (So who do city cops actually work for, we might ask?) So the question became, "If the state finally does the sensible and humane thing, will cops still be able to persecute using fed law?"

For once, the news from the drug war is good. And it ties in with what I wrote this morning: There aren't enough federal resources on the entire planet ... to control all who are determined to live their own lives as they see fit.

(Thanks once again to SJ.)

Posted by Claire @ 10:46 AM CST
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