The American Spectator : Grim Holiday

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Grim Holiday

By Peter Hannaford on 4.27.12 @ 6:07AM

Northern California’s pot paradise is no longer immune to law enforcement.

At 4 p.m. last Friday, April 20, clusters of dedicated marijuana users lit up to mark the anniversary of an annual “holiday” whose origins are unclear. That most of them looked both grim and determined was no accident. Marijuana growing and selling on a commercial scale is under assault by law enforcement, especially in California.

Although marijuana remains illegal under federal law, several years ago, George Soros bankrolled a ballot initiative to make it legal in California for people with medical recommendations from physicians to have small amounts of marijuana to ease pain. This gave rise to the creation of dispensaries who registered those with “215” cards (the permission document) and then grew and sold them the marijuana. In some cases dispensers and “patients” stuck to the letter of the law; in others, it was a case of a wink and a nod. Dispensaries proliferated (there were several hundred in Los Angeles). Marijuana growing became a growth business, but doing it for general sale remained illegal.

Those April 20th smokers may have been cheered by the recent declaration of the conservative televangelist Pat Robertson that the War on Drugs was a failure. He called for the legalization of marijuana. The celebrants better not hold their collective breath lest they turn blue.

In recent months the U.S. attorneys throughout California sent stiff letters to county boards of supervisors and city councils warning them that approval of new marijuana dispensaries risked making them liable for federal law enforcement action. Pending ordinances and applications were frozen.

Law enforcement ramped up. Humboldt County, on the state’s northern coast, has been described by New Yorker writer David Samuels as “the heartland of high-grade marijuana farming in California.” This all-cash business pumps large amounts of money into and through the local economy. Nevertheless, law enforcement agencies took the federal letters seriously. Over the course of three weeks, from late February through mid-March, the county’s one daily newspaper carried 17 reports of busts. Six of these resulted from home and property searches, yielding from 102 to 3,800 plants and from 45 to 220 pounds of processed leaves. In several cases there was hashish ready for sale and methamphetamine supplies. Several searches yielded guns and five had cash, ranging from $3,000 to $500,000. Two had stashes of counterfeit money. Two of the raids included large “grows” in remote areas of this large county where marijuana was being grown in hothouses and tended by foreign workers.

A frequent problem in one city in Humboldt County is the rental of houses in residential neighborhoods. The renters convert the interiors into growing rooms. Grow lights are on 24 hours a day. The scofflaws who rent these places often sign up for the discounted electrical service program offered low-income citizens by the public utility. Strong odors emanate from these houses, the high cost of electricity is borne by the utility’s other customers, and the buildings invariably are fire hazards. It is usually complaining neighbors that lead to the police searches.

Routine traffic stops in the county often turn up packages of marijuana, cocaine, and methamphetamine ready for sale in vehicles driven by parolees.

One of the arguments for legalizing marijuana is that it would eliminate the cost of law enforcement dedicated to enforcing current laws. However, in Humboldt County, based upon a total seizure of nearly $550,000 in three weeks, the law enforcement effort seems to be paying for itself.

And the beat goes on. Just this week, the Sheriff’s Office in two raids seized and destroyed 5,500 plants in a rural part of the county and 1,600 in a “grow house” in a residential community.

No wonder those “holiday” smokers always look glum.

Mr. Hannaford lives in northwestern California.

About the Author

Peter Hannaford was closely associated for a number of years with the late President Reagan, beginning in the California Governor’s office. His latest book is Presidential Retreats.

Letter to the Editor View all comments (49) | Leave a comment Leave a comment

Old Soldier| 4.27.12 @ 7:20AM

I'm glum too since I'm paying for this crap. So the Feds can just ignore state law and enforce this version of Prohibition with the Commerce Clause?

Seems to be working just as well as our first version of Prohibition.

Pete| 4.29.12 @ 1:45PM

They are just WEEDING out the competition. The Feds have their cronies to benefit.

JAWilson| 4.27.12 @ 7:29AM

Meth, guns, counterfeit cash. How harmless is that? Not!

Von Mises Jr| 4.27.12 @ 8:25AM

While not promoting drug trafficking or use, I think Ron Paul and John Stossel have this correct. It is not an Enumerated Power under the Constitution and it is anti-freedom to have the Fed attacking liberty. At a minimum, under a Federal Republic, California should make laws and deal with this issue.
The duplicity and irony is thick. The Kennedy fortune was amassed with bootlegging and government corruption. But JFK, RFK and Teddy are Democrat icons. The roaring 20's are nostalgic.
Ironically, I defend the Kennedy clan in bootlegging, but nothing else except JFK's "A rising tide raises all boats." I am simply pointing to the non sequitur that Kennedy bootlegging made them rich and famous, but people who find marijuana helpful for pain or glaucoma are criminals and should be shunned.
Go figure government logic?

buckeyeman| 4.27.12 @ 11:54AM

As a libertarian wannabe I'm conflicted on this issue. Notice that no one can ever pin down Ron Paul or Stossel on this issue. Specifically, if they both advocate legalization of marijuana on a libertarian basis, what is their position on PCP, heroin, crack cocaine, LSD, or chloramphenicol?

They never address these questions. The "watchdog press" never asks these questions. Stossel dodged and changed the subject on a TV show devoted to legalization of "drugs" (marijuana) but his usual clarity is lacking when it comes to the logical extension of his oft stated position that the government doesn't have the right to tell you what you may or may not put into your body.

Old Soldier| 4.27.12 @ 12:21PM

Here's my position - do it all - I don't care.

You are still responsible for your actions and the consequences. I won't pay for your medical treatment or your rehab. Act like an adult.

Tired Taxpayer PRM| 4.27.12 @ 1:15PM

I wanted to add something to this reply but cannot. Well said. I agree completely.

Thanks

Tired Taxpayer PRM| 4.27.12 @ 1:16PM

And "Yes" I realize people will die in the streets, even children and I don't care. What we are doing does not work. Doing more of it is insane.

Von Mises Jr| 4.27.12 @ 5:02PM

Both are clear that it is not the federal government's job. Paul on a Constitutional basis, and Stossel on the economics.

Dixie Pixie| 4.27.12 @ 12:11PM

Von....It is real simple.

For a physical law to be valid it must be invariant in all physical frames.
For example, the Law of Gravitation is the same on Earth as it is at the far edge of the Universe.

So it should not be surprising that the Law of the Profit Motive applies to Police Forces.
To a man the Police Forces will deny it as no one wants to confront the thought of the Police as mercenary predators whose motivations are primary personal gain.
It is far more profitable to portray them selves as selfless protectors of the public.

So it should be no surprise that the “Profit Motive” causes the Police Forces to maximize and overstate criminality so that more money will be provided in the next budget cycle.

The so-called “Drug War” is a perfect example.
As noted in another Post, Probation did not work in the 1930's and certainly does not work now.
Then as now it generates a criminal underworld to which the Police Forces expand to “Protect” us from that they have created.

(Thanks Old Soldier for the reminder.)

Von Mises Jr| 4.28.12 @ 7:01AM

Old Soldier and you make the perfect case against ObamaCare, Dixie.
Once the government pays for your treatment, they own your behavior. Moochelle can make you eat the veggie burgers and Barry can ban you from the highways. Being fat or moving 55 mph affects their profit motive.
They don't want to spend the money on fixing you up when it may deprive Moochelle and the kids from a lavish vacation.

Dixie Pixie| 4.28.12 @ 7:32PM

Greetings Von
Thank you for your kind words.

Von...you are correct in postulating that once the government takes control of your healthcare they will soon demand control of your very lifestyle as that is the major factor in the cost of an individuals healthcare.

However I fail to see the logical leap of a hidden profit motive in police organizations to ObamaCare.
The expansion of police duties has exploded to such insane levels during the Bush administration that I even had to pass through a metal detector and had my stack of paperwork X-Ray just to do some routine tax filing at the local county courthouse!!!!

I asked the sheriff deputies if there was even one incident in the nearly 200 year history of the courthouse.
They said no such incident had ever occurred and the entire security process was not only a waste of time and money, it was a public nuisance to all concerned.
There is no logical or rational reason for a Muslim homicidal fanatic to travel half-way around the world to blowup an obscure southern courthouse.
Nor is it conceivable one would try to go through the local airport.

But the profit motive does explain why the police would do such idiocy.
If there is money to be had, then the police will expand to spend it no matter the reason.

Von Mises Jr| 4.29.12 @ 7:56AM

Dixie, perhaps I was obscure in my point. But let me explain what I meant. Yesterday, after I posted my comment, I went to an Agenda21 seminar for politicians. An Official from a nearby town said she was the only one that fought a grant for $20K for park cleanup last year. The other officials did not understand the strings attached to the money.
This year, they did not have the money to adhere to the commitments they were obligated to. Well the town is on a river and the river flooded. Massive damage happened and when they applied for Agenda21 "Sustainable Development" funds, they were told to pound salt.
I had to laugh having spent 25 years in sales. They signed a lifelong contract with no future deliverables. So they were simply fools to think that once they were locked in, they would receive another dime.
So the UN driven Agenda21 talks of "Smart Growth" and overstates the need of towns to join "Sustainable Development," but once they sign up, they are abandoned. The scare is oversold and the deliverables denied. All the money goes to the "redistribution of wealth" and the power over people's property goes to the state, DC and the UN.
So like your "Drug War" example, the crisis is overstated but the power and money never deals with the stated problem. It is commandeered to fund socialist greed and government waste.

Pete| 4.29.12 @ 1:47PM

But why are they talking about legalizing recreational drugs, but not all the drugs banned by the FDA. Much I would choose to buy is illegal in the US.

Denver todd| 4.27.12 @ 8:30AM

Colorado has a medical marijuana law, which is just a front for getting high on weekends. There is virtually no medicine being practiced at all. The only positive thing to come of it is that it is a demonstration of capitalism; you wouldn't believe the proliferation of dispensaries throughout the Denver area, sometimes one on every block when driving down a road.

Not Special Ops Bill| 4.27.12 @ 9:14AM

That's right. Also, legalizing pot for medicinal use in Colorado was supposed to lower crime rates; instead, we now have a new crime: mugging people who are leaving the marijuana dispensaries. Another type of new crime: counterfeit marijuana cards and fraudulent issuance of same.

Yep, we'll just tax it and pay off our debts by making money out of vice. That's the ticket.

Occam's Tool| 4.29.12 @ 11:33PM

Marijuana today, due to increased THC concentrations than MJ in the 70s, can cause psychosis in vulnerable adults. I know 'cause I treat them. Every goshdarned day.

It already is a horrifying epidemic among Native Americans in Minnesota. I am busy enough. I don't need any more work, thank you.

Skippy| 4.30.12 @ 6:13PM

I live in The Emerald Triangle(Humboldt, Mendocino and Del Norte co.'s, Ca.
The pot is stronger and the minds weaker than in decades past, but the damage from pot is insignificant compared to that wrought by alcohol and meth.

bluecollarbytes| 4.27.12 @ 8:37AM

Yes there are some actual criminal-types among the MM crowd. Why the need to oversimplify?

It's as foolish as saying that All politicians are embezzling, lying, megalomaniac perverts...just because so many have been found to be so.

Tired Taxpayer PRM| 4.27.12 @ 10:46AM

"It's as foolish as saying that All politicians are embezzling, lying, megalomaniac perverts...just because so many have been found to be so."

You mean they are not?!!

Getalyf| 4.27.12 @ 9:31AM

I'm a bit confused about Mr. Hannaford's statement that the law enforcement effort "is paying for itself". How does that work? Do the police take the $550,000 worth of seized drugs and sell them to cover the raid costs?

Peter R McGrath| 4.27.12 @ 10:10AM

Large amounts of seized cash are frequently "forfeited" to state and local law enforcement agencies.

Drunken Sailor| 4.27.12 @ 10:23AM

Not to mention all the cars, property, etc, often seized and auctioned off.

Old Soldier| 4.27.12 @ 12:24PM

Is that good? We make up intrusive big-government laws, then use them as an excuse to take property.

Are federal agents supposed to protect the public or raise funds by taking our stuff?

Sean| 4.27.12 @ 12:37PM

We are seeing more and more people with cash getting their money stolen by the police. If you carry around a thousand dollars or over it is just assumed to be drug money.

Occam's Tool| 4.30.12 @ 5:45PM

I have carried around hundreds, and have NEVER had the police stop me and confiscate my money. Ever.

Drunken Sailor| 4.27.12 @ 12:44PM

Never said it was good or evil, just that is how they are paying for themselves.

Conseravtive Bob| 4.27.12 @ 2:32PM

Property seizure laws were sold on the 'hit them where it hurts' premise of taking the profit out of dealing drugs...
The end result is substantial erosion of the 4th amendment, police forces more focused on seizing property than fighting crime and corruption.
It is a clear instance where for a little 'safety' we have surrendered a major piece of our liberty.

Not Special Ops Bill| 4.27.12 @ 12:08PM

Funny how the government can justify taking money that doesn't belong to it in violation of the due process protections of the 5th Amendment just because they call it "drug money."

SpiralArchitect| 4.27.12 @ 1:51PM

The $550k is cash not profits from state and local sales of drugs - heh.

9thID| 4.27.12 @ 10:24AM

More of Ron Paul's Liberal-tarian depravity on display...
"Drugs, Guns and Madness in the Ron Paul Revolution”
http://tinyurl.com/7yqhozr

Clint| 4.27.12 @ 1:08PM

Do Your Homework Israel Firster Smear Bund Goebbels Propagandist BibiBot, 9th IDiot.

" Congressman Paul has stated that the federal government does not possess the authority to establish laws regulating drug possession, and that the federal government was not intended to fight a war on drugs. He has stated that he does not support drug use, but that the role of the federal government is not to regulate behavior. He supports state laws to regulate drugs as each state sees fit."

Pete| 4.29.12 @ 1:49PM

Then he should be floating bills to get rid of the FDA.

Occam's Tool| 4.30.12 @ 5:43PM

He co-sponsored a bill to federally legalize MJ with Barney Frank. This would allow the states to do with MJ what they wish. As stated before, it would unleash a horrid drug assault on the reeling minorities in this country.

Mike Hawk| 4.27.12 @ 11:05AM

The whole damned State of Cahleefornia must be stoned or stupid to keep electing Liberals to run things. Then again they are probably so stoned they don't care and think everything is hunky-dory. God forbid they ever sober up.

obadiah| 4.28.12 @ 4:46PM

the republicans in this state play a game called "suicide." they play a lot and they play hard. they play to lose.

SpiralArchitect| 4.27.12 @ 1:54PM

Not many, if any, medical conditions that merit the usage of marijuana are rational as they promote smoking.

There are many ways to ingest the substance but that does not often happen. Smoking something to aleviate nasea is justifiable in what way?

aware| 4.27.12 @ 4:49PM

Destruction of the 4th amendment is justifiable in what way?

buck bradley| 4.29.12 @ 10:15AM

Spiral you are dead flat wrong there. Somewhat counterintuitively, studies (conducted by researchers expecting the opposite result) have conclusively shown that marijuana smoking very substantially LOWERS the rate of lung cancer in no cigarette smokers. Apparently the thc or canniboids interfere with the process of cancer cell replication. I'm not advocating regular pot smoking as it tends to turn people into fat amotivational losers. Let's stick to the facts though and leave the sensationalizing to the libs....

Pat| 4.27.12 @ 2:49PM

Besides this author, many TAS readers also live in Northern California and from our knothole there is nothing mystical, medical, Constitutional or Zen about this local cottage industry growing marijuana illegally and selling it for money. This is the California version of “moonshiners” and the “revenooers” are cracking down – at least for a short while. Soon, it will be business as usual, the Feds will be off the local’s back regarding enforcement and let the good joints roll once again.

Wouldn’t you suppose everyone in this rural California county knows now and always did know where the money is coming from – and wouldn’t you also suppose they want to see it continue to pour in? The ATF should consider updating its acronym to ATFM where the M stands for marijuana and federal agents grow a backbone and boldly invade these dangerous woods and well-armed neighborhoods to either shut down the “moonshiners” or collect a tax for growing it.

As a northern Californian, here’s a few safety tips for out of state tourists: Don’t go wandering around in the backwoods within this county – it could be hazardous to your health. The bears aren’t allowed to own firearms but the growers are well-armed and not afraid to use their scoped Remingtons on nosey hikers and amateur pickers hoping for a free haul of dope. Don’t get in the way of motorcycle gangs on the interstates, they have a delivery schedule to meet and won’t appreciate being held up by some slow-poke obeying the speed limit.

And, finally, don’t be fooled by loud mouthed Californians claiming “we didn’t know about this”. Everybody “knows”. Like the illegal immigrants, there is nothing hidden or unknown about who is doing what to whom. These communities are too small for everyone not to know.

And, just as with the illegal immigrant farce, the law schedules a few raids periodically to keep the courts, the media and the honest taxpayers happy. But nothing will stop for long, not when there is so much money involved – this is California, not Vatican City – and all these so-called “officials” are fully aware of what’s going on – there’s just too much money in it for them to suddenly discover a conscience.

gary siebel| 4.27.12 @ 6:06PM

The RW has not only lost the weed wars, they have been subverted themselves. We are in the rearguard action phase of anti-marijuana laws, and rearguards can delay things for quite awhile. Police actions are simply whack-a-mole efforts in futility. When the WWII generation is entirely dead, the ridiculous resistance to legalizing marijuana will fade considerably.

POST American| 4.28.12 @ 12:19AM

--------------90's Show Tavistock SAP OP---------------
-----------------------RED ALERT!-------------------------

Normally this would be a regular ALERT,
but with those LATEST reports of RUSSIAN
troops training with Americans, in Colorado,
to 'take on American terrorists' ---UH----
we'd say this is the 11th hour of the CFR
RED China handover, takedown, OCCUPATION
and FINAL EUGENICS OP.

"When the Globalist are FINALLY
brought to justice, history will look back
on this time as the greatest covert GENOCIDE
mankind's ever witnessed. It's US ---or THEM.
We CAN'T afford to lose."
-ALEX JONES

----------------------------------AND SO IT IS

obadiah| 4.28.12 @ 4:42PM

What tissue of distortions and lies. There is probably less meth use among potheads than in the general population. Connections who counterfeiting are farcical. Potheads are more liek the serious criminal types like "pirates" who download copies of songs. You're just beating up on sick and harmless people for political purposes. Blaming George Soros -- the stupidest politcal hackwork I' ve seen in some time.

Pete| 4.29.12 @ 1:50PM

After all where would OWS be without weed?

Occam's Tool| 4.29.12 @ 11:34PM

Obadiah---I see lots of meth users who also do marijuana. Thanks for playing.

aware| 4.30.12 @ 5:58AM

And unlike you, at least they have an excuse for their delusions. They just have a substance abuse problem while you have incurable genocidal fantasies.

Occam's Tool| 4.30.12 @ 5:44PM

No. I just think that our enemies should be beaten. I also have a good idea what it will take, and that is Japanese style bombings. Funny, I don't note that the Japanese have been wiped off the planet.

Thanks for playing, aware, and stay away from my children, punk.

Occam's Tool| 4.30.12 @ 5:46PM

Here's a prediction: in the next 10 years, Iran will hit the US with a WMD, with casualties at least as great as 9/11. What will be your response, aware?

Skippy| 4.30.12 @ 6:22PM

Same as on 9/11.
"What did we do to piss them off this time?"
BTW, Occam, we have a machine at our dealership that counts and detects counterfeit bills.
Reason? So much aromatic cash is laid on the finance mgrs desk we had to.
Since the 1970's, Big Govt has shut down the three traditional forms of economic activity up here; logging, fishing and livestock.
Rather than become the 1930's Ukraine, residents took to "agriculture".
It was small potatoes until folks faced growing, moving or starving as their career choices.
Thank the Federal Govt for backing N. Cal into this corner.
Now they wanna declare war on us for doing the only thing they left for us to do.
Shitty scene all the way around.

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