San Diego embarked on a Medical Marijuana clinic destruction project a few years ago, and is now building up a legal marijuana distribution system which is getting some respect. Los Angeles just announced that it’s cleaned itself of over 500 illegal operations.
Seattle and Tacoma will soon be making similar claims. Cops and dogs will be set loose on illegal pot places while stoners share legal joints watching the action.
Seattle has had a few of these events, actually several. Since about 1950 it’s been a series of raids for untaxed booze and beer, strip joints, porn shops, drug paraphernalia, nightclubs allowing crack and meth, lap dancing, hip-hop places with too many blacks in attendance, and even more I can’t remember.
Each of these has made headlines, inspired even more laws, justified more police and more regulation. Each has produced a long trail of perps sentenced to jail time. Politicians tough on booze, sex, or dope have risen and fallen over the years.
And, have gotten caught up in the fervor. It turns out that whenever Seattle goes after that odor under it’s arms it discovers it’s own elected, appointed, and career staff heavily involved in the action. Go bust the stripper guy, he’s got a line on a councilman. The drug dealer sells to the mayor. Prostitution has been the purview of the cops. This is the shit that comes up when the raids start. At least in Seattle.
When Seattle goes to shut down the illegal pot shops it will discover it’s own role in the activities it’s trying to stop. This will not go over well…..