Why does the police set up marijuana stings? - Cops (1989) Discussion

[–] ipd02 14 years ago

Have you ever watched The Wire? If you did, that's a good way to understand what goes through a lot of law enforcement's heads when it comes to low level arrests for drugs.
That being said, there might be a lot of other reasons they do drug stings for simple marijuana. One could be that a lot of the neighbors have expressed concern. I mean, marijuana users are usually not a big deal, but that means drug dealers are there as well. And the higher up you get on that ladder, the more violence comes with it.
Second, drugs are still illegal. Like it or not, users are still breaking the law. I don't agree with the law myself, I think alcohol is much worse than pot, but the fact remains that if you do get caught with it, that's your own damn fault. Stings aren't made to prevent other crimes (at least, not as their main cause). They're there to catch law breakers breaking the law. It's the same reason prostitution stings are conducted. A lot of times it's middle-aged men with families getting caught trying to get their rocks off. Until those crimes are removed from the books, there will continue to be stings.

There's always money in the banana stand.

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[–] csweetleaf2 14 years ago

I've actually never watched "The Wire", while I do admire the police for trying to make the neighborhoods safer, instead of them arresting the marijuana buyers and taking them to jail they should just cite them with a ticket (somewhere from $100-500) instead, a lot of the pot buyers don't resort to crime just to support their habits unlike the other drug users

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[–] ipd02 14 years ago

That's true...I don't think you'll ever find a pot user who goes homeless for trying to support his 5,000 a day pot habit, haha. But unfortunately, in most states, pot isn't decriminalized. Marijuana is still a criminal offense. Let's hope that eventually a fine is all that happens, because I'm like you, I believe decriminalizing pot would be beneficial for both law enforcement and the public.

There's always money in the banana stand.

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[–] csweetleaf2 14 years ago

I also believe that decriminalizing pot would be a good way for the law enforcement to focus more on the real criminals who really needs to be in jail and that the jails won't be so crowded, I don't think anyone needs to be locked up just for simple marijuana possession.

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[–] 14 years ago

[deleted]

[–] bing-57 11 years ago

> I also believe that decriminalizing pot would be a good way for the law enforcement to focus more on the real criminals who really needs to be in jail

The thing is that giving tickets out to pot users is profitable in the long run since such users pay their tickets without much fuss. On the other hand, arresting and jailing real criminals, like murderers and rapists, costs the system a lot of money in the long run.

In these days of tight budgets, the cops focus on simple tickets for drugs and traffic offenses. That way they don't break their bank.

--
What Would Jesus Do For A Klondike Bar (WWJDFAKB)?

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[–] kamas716 14 years ago

There are lots of laws on the books that not everyone agrees with. Unfortunately, until enough people either get their legislators to change the law, or get an initiated measure passed to change the law, it's still a crime.

Personally, I wouldn't have a problem with marijuana (or any other drug really) being decriminalized and regulated like alcohol. Until that happens though, it's a crime.

---------------
Time well wasted.

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[–] Matt272 14 years ago

If they made marijuana legal, then there would be less people to arrest and their arrest rates will be lower. DAs would have less people to prosecute and pharmaceutical companies would lose profit. Its in their best interest to keep it illegal.

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[–] Wolfy3 14 years ago

I could never understand why the cops just don't go to the source/suppliers of drugs. I remember watching an episode where they were tailing a buyer who came from a "known drug house" but they didn't go back to the house, they just caught the buyer. Also I read somewhere that the cops admitted that it would be better to go after the source, but they couldn't afford such an operation.
So they're stuck bagging the little guys. I guess it goes hand in hand with stings. Bag the one who falls into temptation, not the tempter. Hmmm a religious connection as well?

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[–] polysicsarebest 13 years ago

One time I was renting a house to someone and I found out they had set up a meth lab in the house. I wanted them kicked out immediately. I called the cops, a cop came to me and said, "You have to go to the court house and file blah blah paperwork blah blah." I said, "Can't you kick them out now? They are making meth in the house!" All he said was, "Oh, we know we goes on in the house ... uh ... you won't get in trouble or anything, if you're worried." I said, "I'm not! I just want them out!" And he said, "I can't help you." and left.

So that pretty much summed up everything for me. I eventually kicked the people out but it took a LOOOOOOOOOOONG time. The cops didn't help AT ALL. My tax dollar are hard at work I guess.

-
Shuji Terayama forever.

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[–] Arvin-G-Borkar 9 years ago

Probably because they were not out in public. Technically, you can have drugs in the house or behind closed doors and they would need a warrant to kick them out.

Better watch out, better start crying. Better hurry up, run and hide. Krampus is coming to town! >:)

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[–] tawidmerfoe 14 years ago

1. Illegal is illegal, and should be arrested.

2. Ask coke and meth users how they got started, and the vast majority started with grass. If the cops get them stopped now, maybe they will prevent harder drugs later.

"If at first you don't succeed, skydiving is NOT for you!"

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[–] retpo 14 years ago

Legalize all drugs, tax them and watch the deficit fall.

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[–] aeternus_proeliator 13 years ago

The amount of ignorance and stupidity in your post is astounding.

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[–] csweetleaf2 14 years ago

"marijuana is a crime. Saying that pot smokers don't contribute to crime is like saying that murderers don't contribute to crime...."

What I've meant to say is that the majority of the marijuana smokers don't burglarize homes/businesses, steal from people or rob people/homes/businesses just to support their habits

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[–] rrpostal 14 years ago

I think one of the reasons they do pot stings versus other crime prevention is that it's very easy. I agree that with pot there aren't some of the other problems associated with other drugs. There are not a lot of "violent pot users". Although I also think that many of the problems you find with the other drugs are specifically due to them being illegal, not inherent to the drug itself.

I haven't even had a beer for over 10 years myself, but the drugs laws are insane in the US. They are creating crime, not reducing it. If people had access to drugs that are a safe, consistent quality from a safe consistent source, they would not need to resort to things like meth/ crystal which only makes sense in an environment where real drugs are unavailable. It's hard to create accurate models for exactly what effect some laws would have. But it's not impossible to foresee some of the effects. Drug usage overall will rise slightly in the short run, but not to the extent that has been suggested. But the overall harm would almost certainly decrease with less lives and careers ruined and health issues could be treated properly. Eventually the percentage of people who use drugs would not be greatly affected by legalization. The larger predictors of drug use would be things like the economic conditions and availability of a good living wage. Lack of hope and prosperity breed drug usage and crime, not the other way around.

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[–] 13 years ago

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[–] aeternus_proeliator 13 years ago

What crime do they contribute to then?

Committing the crime of committing the crime is not contributing to any sort of crime. It IS the crime within itself. That buying marijuana for personal use is illegal doesn't mean that contributes to crime.

It's as idiotic as saying that people who wear hats contribute to crime if wearing hats were illegal.

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[–] csweetleaf2 13 years ago

I don't find marijuana to be a harmful drug and a lot of people who smokes marijuana are good people who contributes to society and they also have good jobs, a family and they're also well respected people, it's very rare that a pot smoker would burglarize homes or rob from people just to smoke a little weed

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[–] 13 years ago

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[–] PreciousRoys 13 years ago

Pretty simple really.

In order to prevent "large" crimes you have to prevent all crimes. No matter how light marijuana crimes are, they all in some way lead to larger crimes.

To quote our hapless and ignorant OP: "Why does(sic) the police set up marijuana stings?" That sentence alone is enough argument to make pot smoking illegal.

"The people at the bank call me Marty!

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[–] csweetleaf2 13 years ago

I personally find the marijuana stings to be a little petty cause not everyone who smokes pot contributes to any other types of crime just to get a little high and it's not an addictive substance (I don't consider marijuana as a drug) either, I personally would rather be around a pot smoker over an alcoholic any day.

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[–] PreciousRoys 13 years ago

Not everyone who does heroin contributes to any other types of crime either but that means nothing.

You can not consider marijuana a drug all you wish. THC is a drug. There is no way around it. You can no more decide that THC is not a drug than you could decide not to obey the law of gravity.

Anyone who says marijuna is not addictive(not all addictions are stricly chemical) or that it is not a gateway drug or that it does no lung damage or that is is safe to drive on has either never smoked it or has smoked far too much of it.

I too would rather be around a pot smoker than an alcoholic.
I wouuld enjoy a bowl now and then.
I have done just about everything there is to do out there in just about every way there is to do it.

At least I can be honest about marijuana.

"The people at the bank call me Marty!

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[–] csweetleaf2 13 years ago

BUMP

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[–] Chris_in_KCMO 13 years ago

I first want to say that I am all for the legalization of pot. With that said, I think the myth that pot is not dangerous like crack or meth needs to be addressed. I spent 14 years in law enforcement and have seen numerous robberies and shootings over pot. Don't believe me... Watch ”the first 48” on a&e. A HUGE majority of the drug related homicides on the show are not over coke or meth, but over marijuana. I can think of at least 15 episodes where some 15-30 year old gets killed ovet a small bag of weed. A few are bigger deald like a half pound, but often a guy doesn't want to give up his dime bag to a robber and gets killed for it. And several of the multiple homicides have been over pot.

So it is just plain wrong to argue that pot isn't ”dangerous” like crack or meth. And yes, there is no doubt about pot being a gateway drug to harder stuff.

Maybe the arguement can be made that making it legal and more accessible will stop some of these killings but then you increase the chances for the next big problem which is DUI's involving pot. There are lots of folks out there that would never thing of drinking and driving, but have no problem getting blazed and getting behind the wheel. In the end the issue boils down to people who are breaking the law and trying to justify their behavior by making excuses. If people would step up and take responsibility for their actions then our country would be a better place.

"I have come to chew bubblegum and kick ass... and I'm all out of bubblegum"

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[–] zilla7777 10 years ago

The biggest danger of violence from marijuana use comes from folks like YOU, who just happen to MAKE THEIR FREAKIN' LIVING arresting, prosecuting, jailing, criminalizing and abusing folks who indulge in the weed.

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