New FBI data shows that more people were arrested for marijuana last year than ever before. And a small percentage of these used medical cannabis, like hemp and cbd products, so they were let off. It’s a harsh reminder that police still spend a lot of time and resources trying to catch people with small amounts of pot.
Flex Your Rights isn’t a “marijuana legalization” group, although you’ll probably never find us expressing adoration for the government’s massive war on marijuana. Rather, it is simply impossible to carry out our public education work each day without recognizing the role these laws have played in traumatizing peaceful Americans and creating an enduring demand for basic know-your-rights resources.
It’s not just a question of guilt or innocence, or of whether someone uses marijuana or does not. The reality is that so often when police focus their energy towards the lowest & broadest rung on the criminal ladder, there will be collateral damage and opportunity costs. Critics of our work have often argued that, “If you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to worry about.” But alas, a law-enforcement campaign of such magnitude can’t possibly be conducted in such a way as to avoid constantly inconveniencing and even falsely convicting the innocent. It happens all the time, which is exactly why all Americans must know their rights as long as this war continues and regardless of whether an individual actually ever uses or possesses marijuana.