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News & ArtsFriday, March 20, 2009
Drugs Re: Michigan's Pot Problem
Posted by Dominic Holden on Fri, Mar 20, 2009 at 8:50 AM
Dan says the solution to Michigan's medical marijuana "problem" is decriminalizing marijuana for personal use. That might be a tough sell on the cops there; they shoot casual pot smokers, ya know:
A 20-year-old university student in Michigan is hospitalized and in serious condition after police shot the man Wednesday while serving a drug warrant. He was unarmed, investigators said.Coming through an apartment's back door, an Ottawa County deputy allegedly shined a flashlight into the student's face, causing him to raise his right hand in front of his eyes. The officer, whose name was not released, fired a single bullet into Derek Copp's chest. The 20-year-old Grand Valley State University student, who survived the shooting, said he had no idea the man was an officer.
"He never even had a chance to even see who was coming at him, with a bright flashlight in his face," said Sheryl Copp, Derek's mother, in a 24 Hour News 8 report. "He had no clue. He heard someone knock on his door, and he had no clue."
How much pot earns you a bullet?
Copp's attorney, Frederick Dilley, issued the following statement about the incident, "I have been asked what drugs may have been seized by those executing the search warrant at Derek Copp's apartment. To my knowledge, the raid resulted in the seizure of a few tablespoonfuls of marijuana, and nothing more," Dilley continues, "The primary concern remains the manner in which this raid was carried out. And the apparent lack of any justification whatsoever for the use of force... much less deadly force in executing a search warrant."
2
a few tablespoons is enough to get me high for 3 months. oh wait, it's midwest ditchweed.
1 month.
1 month.
4
If this kind of thing isn't bad customer service, what is. Come on, this is clearly not serving or protecting anyone.
5
Dan is right.
Want to rebuild America's economy? Stop importing weed and tax it and treat it like we do the far more addictive and dangerous alcohol and tobacco. And pardon anyone in prison for possession of less than a K who has served 3 years.
Want to rebuild America's economy? Stop importing weed and tax it and treat it like we do the far more addictive and dangerous alcohol and tobacco. And pardon anyone in prison for possession of less than a K who has served 3 years.
8
so many cops can't seem to tolerate any movement from suspects. "one false move and i'll shoot" should be changed to simply "one move...."
seems to be a trend.
seems to be a trend.
9
@ 6) No, the most ridiculous thing ever is shooting someone in the chest for having a few tablespoons of marijuana. But I think the measurement makes sense: Grams and ounces are difficult weights to visualize--tablespoons gives you a good idea of just how little pot was at stake. It may have been shake, or crumbled schwuff; Michigan isn't known for its kind bud.
11
do you think maybe if some of these cops started getting 20-year sentences for this kind of shit that it might act as some kind of deterrent for the *real* problem here?
12
#9, agreed on your first point, however, someone that can't visualize a gram of pot probably wouldn't have any concept of what a tablespoon of marijuana actually is anyway. I have no idea what a gram of meth looks like, not having any knowledge of it's usual density, and even though I could visualize a tablespoon of meth, I would still have no idea as to how high that would get me or how many times it would get me high.
Given that we still don't know the potency of this particular stuff, I think it would be more useful for law enforcement to give an idea of how much actual DRUG there was involved. Street value is a good start (the street value of this particular stash was probably on the order of $10), but maybe something like a "lethal dose" measurement or a standardized "dose" measurement. A few tablespoons of brown shake would then be, what, 0.000000001 "lethal doses?" One or two "doses?" At least with MJ it would give the public a better idea of how tragic these types of shootings really are.
Given that we still don't know the potency of this particular stuff, I think it would be more useful for law enforcement to give an idea of how much actual DRUG there was involved. Street value is a good start (the street value of this particular stash was probably on the order of $10), but maybe something like a "lethal dose" measurement or a standardized "dose" measurement. A few tablespoons of brown shake would then be, what, 0.000000001 "lethal doses?" One or two "doses?" At least with MJ it would give the public a better idea of how tragic these types of shootings really are.
13
Redundant field testing questions for tangent herbavors here...
is their any, and I DO mean ANY truth to the rumour that heat seaking power grid attenuators from space gaurding the rooftops of loss revenue may be responsible for browm outs... far outs and out and out arson fraud investigation cover-ups?
is their any, and I DO mean ANY truth to the rumour that heat seaking power grid attenuators from space gaurding the rooftops of loss revenue may be responsible for browm outs... far outs and out and out arson fraud investigation cover-ups?
14
@13: Dude, you haven't even heard about the lizard men yet? Holy shit you're in trouble. GET UNDER THE BED WITH THE TIN FOIL; TAPE THE FUCKING DOOR SHUT.
16
@#12, if you're paying $10 for a few tablespoons of marijuana you need to find a new dealer, the reality is that a few tablespoons might run you $1-$2, it would almost be impossible to get a buzz off it.
17
A few tablespoons is equivalent to some people's daily consumption. It's nothing. $100 fine for the first 3 times you are caught with about 30 times that in NYC.
18
@16, What're you talking about? A few tablespoons has got to be at least a gram or two, which would run anyone who's not buying in bulk $10-20. If you're smoking that much and not getting a buzz, I think you're the one who needs a new dealer.
19
getting closer now... serving size in grams... servings per container... total price.... discount with qfc card....
21
"...To my knowledge, the raid resulted in the seizure of a few tablespoonfuls of marijuana, and nothing more..."
Is that measurement that of tablespoon used in cooking (½ U.S. fl. oz. or 4 fluid drams or 15ml or 1/16 of a cup) or is that an actual table spoon one uses to eat breakfast cereal with? Because if your thinking of the one for breakfast cereal, that's actually less than a table spoon. That measures about a teaspoon...or 1/3 of a tablespoon.
Is that measurement that of tablespoon used in cooking (½ U.S. fl. oz. or 4 fluid drams or 15ml or 1/16 of a cup) or is that an actual table spoon one uses to eat breakfast cereal with? Because if your thinking of the one for breakfast cereal, that's actually less than a table spoon. That measures about a teaspoon...or 1/3 of a tablespoon.
22
...and was the spoonful heaping or level?
Sorry, I was looking at a recipe book earlier and seem to have gone off onto a tangent.
Sorry, I was looking at a recipe book earlier and seem to have gone off onto a tangent.
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