Sheriff Explains the Dangers of Marijuana
By Randall Holcombe • Monday April 9, 2012 11:27 AM PDT • 19 Comments
Last week there was a shoot-out in Tallahassee, Florida, my home town, after a drug deal gone bad. Two men were shot when, it appears, the buyers attempted to make off with marijuana without paying for it. (Here’s a link to the story, but sorry, for subscribers only.)
Sheriff Larry Campbell said “Many people believe marijuana is not a dangerous drug, but this case is a good example of how dangerous and potentially deadly crimes are often associated with it.”
The men involved were not using the drug, they were buyers and sellers. Using this case as a “good example,” we, along with Sheriff Campbell, can see that marijuana is dangerous not because it is a drug, but because it is illegal.
When the government stands ready to confiscate people’s property rather than protect it, and when the government tries to prevent commerce rather than support it, bad things can happen.
Tags: Business, Civil Liberties, Criminal Justice, Drugs, Economics, Free Market, Law, Liberty, Morality, Nanny State, Personal Liberty, Police, Property Rights, The State 
Maybe the headline should read “The dangers of making marijuana illegal”. Just sayin’.
BS | Apr 9, 2012 | Reply
Criminal steal and shoot people for legal products such as cars, money, TVs and shoes. Don’t try to feed us the same old bullshit marijuana is bad.
Criminal Cops and Politicians are the ones who are dangerous ... Sheriff Campbell, enjoy your time in hell when it comes time!
Don Pickett | Apr 9, 2012 | Reply
So, according to Sheriff Larry then the only reason that this occurred was because marijuana is illegal. Because if it were legal we wouldn’t have violent criminals as the only source and therefor we wouldn’t have to worry about violence. When was the last time we had a similar situation with beer? Oh, that’s right! Alcohol Prohibition which coincidentally unlike the current system was legal because they amended the United States Constitution to do make it illegal. Thanks, Sheriff Larry! (I am, of course, being facetious, because Sheriff Larry was blaming “the marijuana” for the criminal behavior in much the same way Bill Cosby blames “the gun” for violence.)
Vince | Apr 9, 2012 | Reply
Are you kidding me. This like saying guns kill people. people kill people same as Marijuana. This what a person did not what a plant did. If it is so bad then tell me why it is legal to sell it in Calf., in certain cities that form a triangle ?.... And yes it does get taxed out there.
CANDI | Apr 9, 2012 | Reply
This is a perfect example of EXACTLY why it should be legalized and taxed. It would remove most of the crimes associated with it.
It could be taxed and would be a huge source of revenue for the government. Not to mention hemp could be used for all sorts of textiles, oils and LOTS of other things.
Keeping it illegal is THE WORST thing anyone could advocate for.
Ron Paul 2012 | Apr 9, 2012 | Reply
From what I’ve read, this classifies as self-serving bias. The drug Marijuana itself is not dangerous, but the unfortunate situation that is not controlled by Marijuana is blamed on Marijuana. Thus Marijuana is not to blame.
Secondly, I agree that if the government prevents commerce (especially in-demand commerce) then people will go beyond normal measures to attain it. A historical example would be the French Revolution. Hungry citizens unable to be supplied the food they demanded tried seeking representation in government that was not granted. However this ended with the famous Bastille Day.
Granted this is only one example, but it still leads me to the question: Is the only way to demand something from government seeking representation or seeking revolution? These options are extremes, but serve the same cause to the same ends.
Thaddeus Jockheck | Apr 9, 2012 | Reply
Awesome
Beensoup | Apr 9, 2012 | Reply
It’s totally ludicrous,this is the same arguments they were using for prohibition,the truth is hemp which is also categorised along with cannabis sativa,would put family farms back on a paying basis because of all the uses for this crop,not only would Marijuana provide competition for big pharma,hemp would provide competition as a cheap source of fibers for paper products,clothing,and a multitude of products. The truth is the prohibition of marijuana along with other so-called illicit drugs has lead to massive corruption and all the woes that accompany it,just as happened during prohibition.
jim m | Apr 9, 2012 | Reply
Yup, that sheriff probably never let the truth get in the way of a good lie.
When do they ever?
Psft.
clark | Apr 9, 2012 | Reply
Amen!
Bill I Am | Apr 9, 2012 | Reply
THIS is exactly WHY Marijuana needs to be legalized–the Sheriff unwittingly ‘makes the case’ for DOING just that! DUH?!?
Bob Hoffman | Apr 9, 2012 | Reply
Legal drug dealers (pharmacists) are being robbed and killed at gunpoint too. In both cases drugs can be dangerous, and selling them can also be dangerous. The Sheriff has a point. Maybe it is more obvious when you are the person scraping dead bodies off the street.
What is liberty without wisdom, and without virtue? Addictions are not the path to freedom, but some truths that will make you free can only be clearly understood by a sober mind. In their personal quest for life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness too many people let drugs alter their mind to the point that they think force and fraud are legitimate means to get their next high, or that they are competent while stoned. The legal synthetic and medical marijuana users in my area killing people while driving under the influence really making it hard for me to respect your cheap shots on law enforcement who are first on the scene to clean up the mess. If those legal users can’t even use safely, opening up to recreational users sounds even more dangerous. I am OK with dangerous though, if people know the risk and wisely avoid the danger. Ending prohibition was right for the country, but it didnt make alcohol itself any less dangerous of a drug. It just made the transaction safer. You can support legalization while acknowledging that drugs are still dangerous, just like you can support the second amendment while acknowledging that guns are still dangerous.
Will | Apr 9, 2012 | Reply
I would agree that dealing drugs is more dangerous because it is illegal. That is one part of the problem we could reduce with better laws.
Using mind altering and addictive drugs like marijuana will always be dangerous though, especially for those committed to a life of independence and freedom and seeking for truth with a healthy and functioning mind and lungs. That danger cannot be legislated away. Smoking tobacco is legal, but still dangerous.
Will | Apr 9, 2012 | Reply
Everyone keeps calling it a drug....a drug is man made....cannabis is a natural plant that grows in the ground that happens to give you a euphoric effect......calling it a drug is just so tasteless! Basically this guy is saying because of prohibition, people kill each other over bad deals........when its illegal, there is what they call a black market....if people in this country or this global economy think that people are just going to stop smoking it, they better think again....illegal or not, people WILL do it!
joe | Apr 10, 2012 | Reply
If cannabis is legal no one would smuggle or value it enough for a life. When was the last time someone killed someone over a twelve pack, unless it was illegal and had a elevated price for the risk and high profits a cartel demands.Every country that has had the foresight and courage to decriminalize all drugs has had an almost immediate decline in violent crimes and drug over-doses.How hypocritical to call addiction a disease and then to incarcerate and punish individuals instead of hospitalization .The costs of treatments vs incarceration or rehabilitation vs return visits added with the savings in court costs would save millions country wide!
Dan | Apr 10, 2012 | Reply
Will, I was A firefighter for nearly ten years, And as far as I know, Not one accident that I responded to, Was based on any driver being ” high”. And coincidently, Due to an injury, I spent 5 years, taking “prescription meds” that I have no memory of. I divorced and gave up my relationship with my son. For the last two years I have been a medical marijuana user. I have remarried and am able to lower my pain, and have some form of a life.
So here is your wisdom for liberty ; “I smoke marijuana daily, I can stop severe muscle spasms in a matter of seconds, or when able prevent them entirely, which undoubtedly makes me a SAFER driver” Here is where the laws become a problem, I swerve around the manhole cover size pothole, and a police officer pulls me over, for whatever excuse reckless driving, thought I was drunk, whatever. but then he smells marijuana on my clothes. I now get arrested for driving under the influence of a narcotic. I would test positive even if I had not smoked in days and become a drug statistic.
Mike | Apr 10, 2012 | Reply
One of the dangers of the “War of Drugs” is that is makes sheriffs stupid.
Henry Bowman | Apr 10, 2012 | Reply
Are you unable to make your points without being so rude?
Carla | Apr 11, 2012 | Reply
People such as Will, here, thinking we could reduce danger if only we had better laws, is a bigger problem than a stupid sheriff.
Legal drug dealers (pharmacists) are being robbed and killed at gunpoint because of the so-called “better laws” we have to date – which creates the monopoly the pharmacists have – that is the real source of the danger.
The solution is to let the free market decide, not additional force from auction-law.
... “Each election in modern America is for all practical purposes a no-reserve auction of other people’s stuff.” ...
http://ericpetersautos.com/2012/04/13/voting-is-not-the-problem-americans-are-the-problem/
The so-called “better laws” People such as Will want lead only to more of this:
The Predators of Marengo County
“... Perhaps we should expect to see “Diver Down” bumper decals added to the informal profile used to conduct forfeiture-focused pretext stops. I wish I were kidding.” ...
http://www.freedominourtime.blogspot.com/2012/04/predators-of-marengo-county.html
Hey Will, is it better that a few innocent People are jailed and killed so that no guilty one slips by? It seems as if that’s your position and that of many many others.
clark | Apr 13, 2012 | Reply