Pot Smoker Victimized By Thieves And Cops
By "Radical" Russ Belville
Marijuana prohibition makes life more dangerous for all of us – even those who don’t smoke pot.
We tell story after story of the crime inherent in an unregulated market. Dealers shoot other dealers over turf. Deals go bad and consumers are killed. Rippers come to steal the marijuana grown and harvested by others because it is so profitable and because what is the victim going to do, call the cops?
In this recent case in Chicago, the victim did:
Some people will read this and think “What did they expect, getting involved with two pounds of pot?” These are the same kind of people who will question the dress of a rape victim. Whether it was two grams or two pounds, do you feel safer knowing that someone in your apartment building can be beaten in their home in the middle of the night and have no recourse to police?
Consider that the next young man who reads this article may learn a lesson and decide he needs to get some guns to protect himself and his two pounds in the apartment. Then consider what leads someone to hoard two pounds of pot is its profitability due to its scarcity. People don’t hoard cases of tequila and nobody busts into their apartments to steal it.
Then consider that even the casual consumer at that two gram level could be a crime victim; thieves may want their home electronics, jewelry, and other valuables. Does that consumer call the cops and risk the detection of some contraband in his home?
Finally, consider that you may be the victim of a crime. Does your pot-smoking neighbor call the police, knowing he may be called on to answer some questions about that funny smell coming from his door?
Eleven percent of American adults will smoke pot this year and over 6% will consume cannabis this month. Can we really be safe as a society where 25 million of us are criminals loathe to cooperate and interact with police?
By "Radical" Russ Belville
Marijuana prohibition makes life more dangerous for all of us – even those who don’t smoke pot.
We tell story after story of the crime inherent in an unregulated market. Dealers shoot other dealers over turf. Deals go bad and consumers are killed. Rippers come to steal the marijuana grown and harvested by others because it is so profitable and because what is the victim going to do, call the cops?
In this recent case in Chicago, the victim did:
Some people will read this and think “What did they expect, getting involved with two pounds of pot?” These are the same kind of people who will question the dress of a rape victim. Whether it was two grams or two pounds, do you feel safer knowing that someone in your apartment building can be beaten in their home in the middle of the night and have no recourse to police?
Consider that the next young man who reads this article may learn a lesson and decide he needs to get some guns to protect himself and his two pounds in the apartment. Then consider what leads someone to hoard two pounds of pot is its profitability due to its scarcity. People don’t hoard cases of tequila and nobody busts into their apartments to steal it.
Then consider that even the casual consumer at that two gram level could be a crime victim; thieves may want their home electronics, jewelry, and other valuables. Does that consumer call the cops and risk the detection of some contraband in his home?
Finally, consider that you may be the victim of a crime. Does your pot-smoking neighbor call the police, knowing he may be called on to answer some questions about that funny smell coming from his door?
Eleven percent of American adults will smoke pot this year and over 6% will consume cannabis this month. Can we really be safe as a society where 25 million of us are criminals loathe to cooperate and interact with police?
