Legal Medical Cannabis Provider Faces 80 Years After Fed Raid
November 12th, 2012
Over the past few years, public support for drug prohibition began to crumble, with many states legalizing marijuana for medical, and, as of the November 6th election, personal use. Other states have chosen to decriminalize marijuana, opting for fines as a punishment, rather than locking away those who choose to use in cells alongside murderers and thieves. It’s obvious that America’s future includes a time when marijuana will be legal.
However, the federal government has passed a series of unconstitutional laws criminalizing drug use, despite the fact that no such lawmaking authority exists in Article 1, Section 8 of the US Constitution. As a result of this dubious abuse of power, the New York Times is reporting that Chris Williams, a legal medical marijuana provider in Montana, now faces an 80-year minimum sentence for legally growing marijuana while in possession of firearms protected by the 2nd amendment. A video on the subject can be seen below. Let’s discuss the broader implications of Chris Williams’ atrocious and tyrannical punishment.
Mandatory Minimum Sentences Gone Wild
Laws designed originally to target violent drug cartels have, in exceeding their constitutional limitations, become crimes against the general public. Chris Williams has a constitutional right to keep and bear arms. Also, since state law has authority over the vast majority of crimes under the constitution, the legal status of medical marijuana in his state of Montana should allow him to provide it in accordance with the law.
Chris Williams gave regulators and state lawmakers tours of his facility and took every imaginable precaution to ensure he was operating legally. He even read memos on federal policy which led him to believe that he would not face prosecution. His goal was to provide medicine for people who are sick. Cancer patients often use marijuana to help cope with the extreme side effects of chemotherapy. In this case, the federal level of government is picking on someone for trying to comfort the sick and dying. Montana taxpayers do not want violent criminals to be let go early to make room in cells for more good people like Chris Williams.
Putting 80 Years into Perspective
Few crimes are considered so serious that someone might receive an 80-year sentence. There are lots of killers, rapists, and professional thieves who serve shorter sentences. Should someone providing lawful medication for cancer patients which has no harmful side effects be held in a cell for life alongside people who kill others with impunity? Obviously not.
To make matters worse, it seems that the huge penalty is primarily the result of an anti-2nd amendment rule which makes the possession of a firearm while legally providing medical marijuana into a crime on par with going on a shooting rampage. People in Montana own guns, because it’s an outdoorsy kind of place. Business owners own guns to protect their property. This legal environment has essentially allowed people like Chris Williams to be unlawfully kidnapped.
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