America's Most Wanted? Give Me A F***ing Break

        I spoke in an earlier post about Shotgun Willie's troubles with the police and marijuana laws. The war on drugs has been putting thousands of absolutely harmless people in jail each year since the Reagan administration. I'm not saying that all of the people in jail don't deserve to be there, many of them do. However, when it comes to the laws of marijuana we must ask ourselves: what's more dangerous, the plant or the people who outlaw it? Case in point: let's turn our attention to a much more publicized, corruption-drenched arrest.
       FBI and DA targeted Tommy Chong of the comedy group "Cheech and Chong" as part of the federal investigation called "Operation Pipe Dream", or as I refer to it: Operation Ball Buster. On the morning February 23, 2003 agents from the FBI came beating on Chong's door in full riot gear, guns drawn.
       What could comedian Tommy Chong have done to provoke this violent of a raid on his home? Well, the warrant was issued for his arrest after he sold a bong, a glass water pipe, across state lines. The bong was from Chong's line of "Chong Glass", which was founded by his son, Paris. Tommy Chong was sentenced to 9 months in federal prison.
       The estimated cost of Operation Pipe Dream was over $12 million and included the resources of 2,000 law enforcement officers. Why does our government seem so hell-bent on making such a harmless substance a threat of national security? When we have a multi-trillion dollar budget deficit, doesn't it seem a little irresponsible to spend $12 million on a sting operation to put people who sell glass pipes in jail? Especially if we legalized, regulated it, and taxed it, we could stimulate our economy and reduce national debt by a considerable amount.
        Why is pot still illegal? We all know why it became illegal in the first place - William R. Hurst's smear campaign against marijuana in order to solidify his place at the head of the paper industry. But why is it STILL illegal? Below i've listed facts from Drug Policy Alliance and SAFERchoice.org. These are scientific facts, not drug war slander or televised propaganda. Marijuana is not a dangerous drug, look at the facts.

• Myth: Marijuana Kills Brain Cells. Used over time, marijuana permanently alters brain structure and function, causing memory loss, cognitive impairment, personality deterioration, and reduced productivity.  
• Fact: None of the medical tests currently used to detect brain damage in humans have found harm from marijuana, even from long term high-dose use. An early study reported brain damage in rhesus monkeys after six months exposure to high concentrations of marijuana smoke. In a recent, more carefully conducted study, researchers found no evidence of brain abnormality in monkeys that were forced to inhale the equivalent of four to five marijuana cigarettes every day for a year. The claim that marijuana kills brain cells is based on a speculative report dating back a quarter of a century that has never been supported by any scientific study. 

•  Marijuana is far less toxic and less addictive than alcohol.

• Long-term marijuana use is far less damaging than long-term alcohol use.

• Alcohol use contributes to aggressive behavior and acts of violence, whereas marijuana use reduces the likelihood of violent behavior.

• Myth: Marijuana Has No Medicinal Value. Safer, more effective drugs are available. They include a synthetic version of THC, marijuana's primary active ingredient, which is marketed in the United States under the name Marinol.

• Fact: Marijuana has been shown to be effective in reducing the nausea induced by cancer chemotherapy, stimulating appetite in AIDS patients, and reducing intraocular pressure in people with glaucoma. There is also appreciable evidence that marijuana reduces muscle spasticity in patients with neurological disorders. A synthetic capsule is available by prescription, but it is not as effective as smoked marijuana for many patients. Pure THC may also produce more unpleasant psychoactive side effects than smoked marijuana. Many people use marijuana as a medicine today, despite its illegality. In doing so, they risk arrest and imprisonment.