letterstomycountry:

Neill Franklin, Executive Director of L.E.A.P., speaks truth to power on the absurdity of America’s Drug War, through the lens of a recent raid on a California medical marijuana manufacturing and education facility:

As I sit and watch video after video of Monday’s senseless federal raid of Oaksterdam University and other medical cannabis-related facilities managed by Richard Lee, the orchestrator of California’s historic Proposition 19, a few serious concerns come to mind.

…

Let’s take a look at the results of this “successful” raid upon those who care for the sick. The first indicator of success is one of public safety. That’s why we have such enforcement activity in the first place — law enforcement and public safety should be synonymous. Will the raid make the community safer? Will there be fewer homicides? Oh, wait, there never were any on-site at Oaksterdam. They occur blocks away while we “the police” do our thing here. Will there now be fewer robberies in the neighborhood? Just the opposite: violent crime has been down in the area since Oaksterdam became operational. Well, maybe there will now be less “pot” being sold to kids in the neighborhood? Actually, expect that to increase now that any marijuana being sold in the area, post-raid, will be done by drug dealers on the corners who don’t check ID. Oh yes, one more observation: Patients will no longer have access to safe medicine in safe environments. They will be forced to acquire cannabis from the dangerous illegal marketplace, lining the pockets of criminal organizations, gangs and thugs instead of universally supported local businesses that pay taxes and create jobs.

Which will, in turn, perpetuate violence in Mexico as drug cartels continue to jockey for positions in the U.S. market.  upwards of 47,000 Mexican citizens have died since Felipé Calderon, with the full approval and material support of the United States, mobilized the Mexican military against the drug cartels in 2006.  Forcing medical marijuana patients to turn to the black market only intensifies the economic incentives that make drug trafficking worth the risk for the cartels.

Yet another example of our absolutely destructive drug policy destroying more lives than it could ever prospectively save.