"Extremely Small Amount" of Marijuana Causes Panic Throughout Massachusetts

[Jim Finnel]

It all started when an "extremely small" package of marijuana fell from the pocket of 19-year-old Sean LaCroix at his grandparents’ house, where he lived. His grandmother found it and put it in the car so she could turn it over to police. The car belonged to her husband, John LaCroix, fire chief of Newton, MA and was subsequently discovered when fire-fighters cleaned his vehicle at the station.

I know, this is really one of the most uninteresting stories one could possibly imagine, but here’s how the press reacted throughout Massachusetts:

Marijuana found in car of Newton Fire Chief
Boston Globe, United States - Aug 22, 2008
By Rachana Rathi, Globe Staff Police are investigating Newton Fire Chief Joseph LaCroix after his firefighters allegedly discovered marijuana in his ...

Marijuana found in fire chief's vehicle
WHDH-TV, MA - Aug 22, 2008
NEWTON, Mass. -- During the routine cleaning of Chief Joseph LaCroix's City issued vehicle, firefighters discovered an envelope that contained a small ...

BREAKING NEWS: Marijuana found in Fire Chief's car
Wicked Local, MA - Aug 22, 2008
By Gail Spector, TAB staff Firefighters cleaning Chief Joseph LaCroix's car yesterday found a bag of marijuana, mayoral spokesman Jeremy Solomon confirmed...

Drugs are found in car of Newton Fire Chief
WHDH-TV, MA - Aug 23, 2008
NEWTON, Mass. -- Newton Fire Chief, Joseph Lacroix, is fighting back against the discovery of marijuana found in his city issued car. ...

Newton Fire Chief Joseph LaCroix said he does not know how ...
Newton TAB, MA - Aug 22, 2008
By Chrissie Long and Gail Spector, staff writers A bag of marijuana was found inside Newton fire chief Joseph LaCroix’s car on Thursday but the chief says ...

Newton fire chief says he does not know how marijuana got into his ...
Daily News Tribune, MA - Aug 22, 2008
By Chrissie Long and Gail Spector, staff writers A bag of marijuana was found inside Newton fire chief Joseph LaCroix’s car on Thursday but the chief says ...

Sorry, Grandpa: Marijuana in Newton Fire Chief's car belonged to ...
Boston Globe, United States - 2 hours ago
The marijuana discovered last week by firefighters in Newton Fire Chief John LaCroix's city-issued car belonged to his grandson and was mistakenly put in ...

What is this, if not a towering monument of idiocy? All of this serves as a frustrating reminder that there are two kinds of people in America: those who believe marijuana poses a grave threat to public safety, and those who actually know what marijuana is. The latter group typically believes it should be regulated like alcohol, while the former believes we are all just one stoned fire-fighter away from perishing in a terrible conflagration.

Nevermind that the marijuana turned out not to belong to the fire chief. Even if it had, wouldn't the citizens of Newton know by now whether or not their fire chief was capable of arranging for local fires to be put out?

As amusing as it may be to witness this colossal media circus surrounding something so mindbogglingly trivial, don't forget that Chief LaCroix nearly had his career ruined over this. If his grandson hadn't taken responsibility, he'd likely have been forced into retirement, unable to prove his innocence. Can you even imagine how many times a small bag of misplaced marijuana has led to an absurd outcome like that? It is the legacy of our nation's brain-dead marijuana policy to produce epic fiascoes like this on a daily basis.


News Hawk: User: 420 MAGAZINE ® - Medical Marijuana Publication & Social Networking
Source: StoptheDrugWar.org
Copyright: 2008 StoptheDrugWar.org
Contact: drcnet@drcnet.org
Website: "Extremely Small Amount" of Marijuana Causes Panic Throughout Massachusetts | Stop the Drug War (DRCNet)

 

[Weed420]

Afraid I don't feel to sorry for the chief after what his wife did. Taking the pot to the cops will just make everything worse. If she would have just opened her mind a little and looked at the facts it wouldn't have been a big deal.

 

[StonyGeoff]

Did she even try just TALKING to her grandson about it? No she just figured best thing to do is give it to the cops. Of course how was she to know it was her grandsons, but it would've seemed obvious right? It's either hers, her husbands or her grandsons. Argh people need to relax a bit .. the older one gets the more set in your ways you become I guess.

 

[MissBelle420]

Guilty in this country until proven innocent I always say. Poor Grandma, she grew up with the government in her face telling her what to do. I mean they had complete control. Going to the movies was no joke. They showed war in the intermissions. I know people who still think hiding under their desk while under attack is going to save them because thats what they were taught in school. And the government wouldnt lie to them would it. Thats her state of mind. In some places that doesnt change. Im from the country but no one ever said we didnt get news of whats going on or change with the fashions or get great books in our librarys. You have to want change though, seems they were happy not changing. Maybe this will shake things up a bit. Open some eyes and have a few discussions. One can only hope.
As for the boy, well someone obviously taught him right from wrong, cuz he wouldnt let his grandfather go down. To bad some journalists cant say the same.

 

[WaVancouver]

may someone drops nukes on the world and let mother nature start all over again...

 

[hood1]

I do not understand anyone that is not able to see the connection.
This month McCain voted to give EXXON (the one with record profits due to gouging us) 13.5 billion of our hard earned money. While they (EXXON) contributed 1.4 million to his (McCain’s) campaign.
The same applies to the War on Drugs the major drug companies (the so called legal drugs that generate billions in profits)also the Liquor industry they contribute millions. To both republicans and democrats in the house and senate. So our representatives vote to keep this weed anyone could grow and solve many of the worlds ills illegal.
We now have a president and vice president candidates that admit to having used marijuana but they did not get arrested and have there lives ruined by the War on US they were lucky. But they could have, perhaps they will have some compassion on the ones that were not lucky. Those of us that enjoy a smoke and defy the laws that are stupid and put in place for the wrong reason. As well I feel they are illegal and deprive us our freedom of choice as Americans. If they (the candidates for our highest offices) did the same as you and I and tried marijuana and choose not to smoke (for political reasons) should we as Americans not have the same right without fear of having our lives ruined and put in jail??? Or on the other hand if they are admitted marijuana users should they not be put in jail for there CRIME to pay the debt they owe to society? They are admitted criminals even in Alaska it was against FED law. You cannot have it both ways LEGALIZE, REGULATE, TAX take the money saved and pay for universal health care for all!! Help the people not put them in jail for being Americans free Americans!