| Photo: billymax85 |
| Rock Island County Assistant State’s Attorney Norma Kauzlarich: “Medical marijuana is a misnomer. No such thing exists.” |
Medical marijuana is a hot topic in Illinois, which could become the next state to legalize medicinal use of the herb. But the seeming inevitability of loosening laws surrounding cannabis means that the usual suspects, i.e., law-enforcement types, are saying some really dumb things in public. And it also unfortunately means that some lazy reporters are letting them get away with it.
“Medical marijuana is a misnomer. No such thing exists,” said Norma Kauzlarich, who prosecutes drug cases as an assistant state’s attorney in Rock Island County, Ill.
“It’s marijuana — simply, plain — just marijuana,” Kauzlarich helpfully informs us, reports John David of WQAD, who could really use some brushing up on his “both sides of the story” skills.
It seems that no matter how dumb a statement reporter David’s interview subjects utter, it isn’t sufficient to kick in his repertorial instincts to ask the obvious follow-up question or to make a challenge that practically begs to be made.
Quad City Metropolitan Enforcement Group Director Chris Endress warned about the “problems generated in states like Colorado and California.”
“These pot clubs bring crime and violence,” said Endress. “We just don’t need it. It’s just not worth it.”