On July 22, Arkansas State Police (ASP) Troopers seized marijuana from out of state during a routine traffic stop on I-40 in Pope County.
Troopers found 24 pounds of “individually packaged illegal marijuana,” a handgun, and 120 marijuana plants. The driver reportedly told law enforcement he was traveling from Tulsa to Tennessee.
Nationwide, many states have legalized marijuana to varying degrees, and federal regulators have moved to ease federal restrictions on the drug. But while policymakers push for more marijuana, law enforcement continues to battle marijuana grown or sold illegally on the black market.
In some cases, legalization has actually emboldened drug cartels, causing marijuana use to skyrocket.
For example, California seized more than 63,000 pounds of illegal marijuana from April to June of this year.
The U.S. Department of Justice has said organized crime from Mexico and China may be making millions of dollars from marijuana grown in states like California.
Illegal marijuana operations often are believed to be tied to labor trafficking and violent crime — contributing to what some have called “modern day slavery on American soil.” They also often use illegal pesticides that poison users and harm the environment.
Arkansas sits at the heart of major drug trafficking corridors, and as a result, the Arkansas State Police routinely intercept marijuana from other states that appears to be intended for the black market.
All of this underscores what we have said for years: Marijuana may be many things, but “harmless” simply is not one of them.
Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.
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