This is the Truth about Drug Dealers, Prison, Marijuana, and Kids I learned over the years. Drug Dealers Law Enforcement wants us to believe that everyone arrested for selling drugs is a drug dealer. Truth is, after listening to testimony from current narcotics investigators, and DEA agents. I’m sure they don’t have a clue how the drug culture works, if they did, a lot more people would be in prison. Everyone in prison for selling drugs is a drug dealer right, wrong. I worked deep cover drug operations, and studied the drug culture for many years. In my experience 90% of people arrested for selling drugs, are someone doing a favor for a friend, or someone who buys a small amount, and sells part to friends to cover the cost. The sad thing is, many of these “drug dealers” are sick people who found medical marijuana helps their condition. Many of these patients can’t afford their medicine, so they sell small amounts to friends to help defray the cost. Imagine finding a medicine that works for you, only to find that it would cost $500-$1000 a month, and it’s not covered by your insurance. To many people on disability, this is a month’s income. Marijuana & Prison Today it seems when the government goes to cut programs, education is one of the first things they look at cutting. In Arizona we spend $7000 to educate a student, and $30,000 to put someone in prison for selling marijuana. In my opinion we have our priorities all mixed up. Kids Don’t get me wrong, after all I was a cop, I do think some people should go to prison for selling marijuana. I think if someone sells any drug to kids, they need to go to prison. Many people say marijuana is harmless, it’s not, I don’t think any drug is truly harmless. Kids shouldn’t be smoking marijuana, their brains aren’t developed yet, that’s why they don’t make the best decisions at times. We need to teach kids something most adults don’t have personal responsibility. I think if we do our best to keep kids substance free until their 18 or 21, we would have a lot less people with substance problems later in life. I don’t anyone who reached the age of 21 without using tobacco, who suddenly says I think I’ll start smoking. I didn’t look at a bunch of statistics, or delve into drug studies for my information. I have a law enforcement and medical background. I was trained in Los Angels as a Mobile Intensive Care Paramedic, and spent a year working on an advanced life support ambulance. I spent 12 years as an undercover narcotics investigator, and 3 years in uniform patrol. I do understand the drug culture, and the vast majority are good people, just like you. In fact, they’re probably you next door neighbor.