Legal cannabis sales in NJ officially began today, one day after 4/20. New Jersey police officers rejoiced last week when Attorney General Platkin sent a memo to the police Chiefs of the state warning that no disciplinary action should be enforced on cops who recreationally use marijuana off-duty. But the dream was short lived. Governor Murphy addressed the concerns claiming that he was open-minded to legislation that would ultimately ban cops from marijuana use.
I mean, I understand. Cops only regularly find themselves atop the lists of suicides, cardiac arrest, depression, and divorce due to stress from the job. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness 1 in 4 police officers have thoughts of suicide. In smaller departments, the suicide rate is four times the national average. 186 cops took their own life in 2020, 175 in 2021, and so far, 49 police officer killed themselves in 2022. According to a study done by US Department Of Justice, police officers have a life expectancy of twelve years less than the national average. Cops’ life expectancy after retirement is five years. Five years. Why would you want to help that?
Police officers are also more likely to become addicted to opioids than the general public. Given the physical demands of the job, policing has a higher risk of job-related injuries. While the officer could be prescribed the medication with good intentions by a physician, it creates a dependency. Especially in smaller departments that can’t afford to lose an officer for long periods of time. Pressure mounts to return to work quickly. But how are you supposed to break up a bar fight, or fend off someone with a weapon, or chase down a burgular while you’re in chronic pain? That’s how addiction starts. But does anyone have a good alternative? Possibly something legal and used for pain relief?
The issue is that given the current technology, there’s no way to determine if you’re currently high on marijuana. That leaves an open argument to question the judgement of an officer who may still have marijuana in their system. Even if it’s from thirty days prior.
But ya know, we won’t question the judgement of NJ pilots, or crane operators, or doctors. They’re all good to smoke. But cops? No no no sir.
The irony of course is that policing is the only profession actually ready to withstand recognizing impairment of employees during work hours. Departments have DRE officers (drug recognition experts) to determine if someone’s using drugs and what they’re currently on. For instance, if you’re clearly fucked up and get pulled over for a DWI but blow goose eggs into the breathalyzer, a DRE is trained to establish what drug you’ve taken. It’s the only job that’s professionally trained to tell if one of their employees is high during work hours. So let’s make sure it’s the only job you’re not allowed to get high when you’re off.
It’s just dumbass stupid ass backward ass thinking. The arguments for legalizing marijuana were to increase mental health and decrease crime rates. So they restrict weed from the demographic that statistically has the highest potential for mental health issues. You want to lower the petty crime rates by legalizing weed? You want the people making those arrests to chill out? Hmmm I wonder what could help improve that?
Do the right thing Murphy, you peckerhead. Give them the green light to light up some green.
No comments:
Post a Comment