Federal agents raided several medical cannabis dispensaries Wednesday, in Washington State, successfully stopping all marijuana use and cannabis commerce in its tracks. The use of SWAT units and federal agents was the most efficient use of tax payer dollars possible and United States citizens across Washington, and the country, rejoiced after hearing the news that federal law enforcement officers were spending time and resources raiding dispensaries across a state that legalized medical cannabis in 1998 and an ounce of cannabis for all adults last November. Now that cannabis use has been stopped cold in Washington State, a vast majority of Americans are clamoring for similar tactics in their states as they realize that this is the best use of tax payer dollars and law enforcement resources possible.
Sarcasm now aside, I was both dumbfounded after learning that federal agents were raiding medical cannabis dispensaries across Washington on Wednesday. What exactly are the agents trying to achieve? Washington has a long history of progressive cannabis laws, culminating with voters legalizing an ounce of marijuana for all adults and the establishment of licensed retail outlets last November with about as many votes as President Obama received from state residents in his successful re-election bid. Do the federal agents in charge of these raids think that the dispensary owners can’t get any more cannabis? Do DEA officials think that Washington medical cannabis patients won’t be able to acquire any more medicine? Are there no more meth labs in Washington? Trying to scare would-be retail outlets from licensing with the state? Are they just trying to justify their budgets?
At a time of unprecedented support for an end to cannabis prohibition, I am at a loss to explain the rationale behind these raids. What kind of government official orders heavily-armed SWAT units to terrorize nonviolent medical cannabis providers in a state that has just legalized cannabis for all adults? Prohibitionists trying to win the War on Cannabis at this time, especially by raiding dispensaries in Washington, is like trying to win the Vietnam War, the Iraq War and the Confederacy winning the Civil War all at once.
I can only feel sympathy for the citizens terrorized and the patients who may have to go without medicine while at the same time actually feeling more confident that we are winning the war being waged against us. Such an incomprehensible act can only be accomplished by someone desperate and the prohibitionists must be desperate after witnessing cannabis law reforms take hold across the country. While I am saddened by the destruction caused by these recent raids, I am emboldened to help continue this fight as these actions are simply the final death throes of the prohibitionists as they know that the end of cannabis prohibition is near.
Source: National Cannabis Coalition – make a donation
