Marijuana

November 15, 2012

Thoughts on a Forney Grow House

Both Forney online media outlets are reporting that a grow house was discovered in the Windmill Farms subdivision. It appears the house was abandoned and no arrests were made. Thank goodness. The last thing we need to waste our local tax dollars on is another pot case.

You know what will end residential grow houses? Legalization.

I know people who have tried to brew their own beer and most quit after a batch or two. It’s a messy and smelly process. It’s not easy to make something that even compares to Beast lite, much less Chimay. I’ve never seen someone convert an entire residence to making bathtub bock. And why would they? They can march down to Wal Mart and buy a better product at a low price and save themselves the trouble. For some reason we can’t apply this rational reality based approach to weed. It’s a strange situation given how dangerous booze is relative to pot. You could smoke every ounce of bud in this grow house and it wouldn’t kill you.

December 24, 2010

God and Tokers, Reconciled?

by Robert Guest

In case you missed it, Pat Robertson, yes that Pat Robertson, is questioning the wisdom of cannabis prohibition. I’m amazed it took this long for a Christian Conservative leader to come out against arresting and prosecuting adults for smoking weed. It seems to violate the Golden Rule/ “love your neighbor as yourself” ethos to lock said neighbor in a government cage and steal their money, children, and freedom for consuming a plant.

It also speaks to the glaring inconsistency in mainstream Republican thought. Fiscal conservatism is based on the idea that individuals should be responsible for their own behavior and decisions, and that central planning and oppressive government regulations are bad for America. Free markets, free trade, Adam Smith, self interested rational actors, invisbile hand etc all speak to the idea that individuals, not the State, make better decisions on how to spend money.

Unless you spend that money on “drugs”. Then fiscal conservatism Hulks out and becomes the evil twin, big government social conservatism.

August 3, 2010

Two Months, One Bust

by Robert Guest

This story from the Terrell Tribune highlights the problem with cannabis prohibition and opportunity costs.

From the TT

DRUG SELLING OPERATION INTERRUPTED

June 11, 2010

Joe Barton wants the feds to arrest medical marijuana patients

by Robert Guest

As a cannabis legalization advocate I often email my pols and ask them to consider supporting various common sense reform measures. One recent email to Joe Barton sought support for a measure to end the federal prosecution of state sanctioned medical marijuana patients. Being as the Republican party is, or was, the party of state’s right, local control, and limited government, I was sure that Joe Barton would gladly support this common sense measure. Or maybe not.

Here’s Mr. Barton in his own words.

Dear Mr. Guest:

June 10, 2010

Lessons from the Pot Smuggling Police Chief

by Robert Guest

Everyone is presumed innocent even cops accused of smuggling weed. But ask yourself this, where do drug dealers get the money to bribe law enforcement? Why would a cop risk his career and freedom to help them? The answer- pot prohibition profit$.

I’m amazed at how many Texans believe the negative externalities of prohibition (corruption, inter alia) are somehow caused by the drugs, or the people selling them.

When we choose to make pot illegal, we choose the corruption of our police officers. Think about it. Drug cartels have a billion dollar monopoly on the Texas cannabis market. What’s easier than thinking up schemes to avoid getting caught and sending mules out who could get caught and lose their precious cargo?

June 4, 2010

Plano Police Make Meaningless Celebrity Pot Bust

by Robert Guest

Apparently Plano PD didn’t get the memo that 69% of Texans want some form of legalized marijuana. Otherwise, they wouldn’t waste their time with meaningless “look I found a joint!” busts.

The latest victim of our inane cannabis war is Chace Crawford. Allegedly, Chace is some sort of TV star (Gossip Girl?) who was hanging out in Plano at Ringo’s Pub when the fuzz found an “unlit joint”. I feel safer.

Remember opportunity costs? Violent crime in Plano is up over 50% from 2009. IWhat do you want Plano PD working on? Keeping Ringo’s Pub free of unlit joints? Or solving and preventing real crime (the kind with victims)?

May 27, 2010

Don’t consent to searches. Not guilty edition

by Robert Guest

I got a not guilty today on a marijuana bench trial. In large part this was due to the work of the citizen accused who did not waive his rights on the side of the road.

Remember, if the police ask you about anything illegal; drugs, guns, drinking and driving, murder, steroids, illegal poker rooms- ask for a lawyer.

If the police ask you to search your car- always say no and ask for a lawyer.

May 25, 2010

Terrell Texas Marijuana Grow Bust- Point/Counterpoint

by Robert Guest

I’ll be the first to admit that news site comments are not the highest form of debate. However, they can be a useful gauge of how some members of the public feel on an issue. So how do the conservative readers of the TT feel about cannabis prohibition?

Here is a recent news story from Terrell, Texas courtesy of the Terrell Tribune.

Marijuana growing operation discovered off Lawson Road

April 20, 2010

Happy 4/20!

by Robert Guest

Today is April 20th, the annual day of marijuana celebration around the country. To the hundreds of thousands of Texas cannabis consumers, know that as a member of the NORML legal committee I am working tirelessly to a) defend you if you get caught and b) reform our state’s hopelessly inane and morally repugnant marijuana laws (until b happens, try really hard not to get caught).

I’ve said this before but it bears repeating. As a former prosecutor/defense lawyer I have seen first how we destroy people by putting them into the criminal “justice” system for possessing a plant. The effects are most devastating to our nation’s young adults who end with criminal records that often last a lifetime.

Many DA’s offices, realizing how idiotic our state’s cannabis laws are, now offer pre trial diversion (or memo agreement) programs to help these defendants avoid a lifelong conviction. On the end of the rationality and deceny spectrum Williamson county uses their CPS goons to kidnap the children of cannabis advocates for teaching their children “not to trust the government”.

December 20, 2009

Texas Definition of Marijuana

by Robert Guest

Drug possession cases tend to be factually simple scenarios. The State must prove that you had care, custody and control of X, and that X is illegal. We’ll save possession for another day. Today let talk about proving X is marijuana.

In most cases drug DPS labs provide analyze the putative contraband and attempt to positively identify whatever it is the police sent them (you’d be shocked how often drugs aren’t actually drugs). Not so much with marijuana.

By far, the most untested alleged controlled substance in Texas is weed. In an effort to convict the maximum number of otherwise law abiding citizens for the least cost many marijuana cases are brought without the benefit of drug testing.