<img class="size-medium wp-image-1021 alignleft" src="http://carolinacrossroads.news/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/we-support-our-police-300x198.jpg" alt="we-support-our-police" width="300" height="198" />

This series is designed to focus on and interpret the role our Police and Sheriff departments play, as we quest for solutions to failing communities, severely depressed economies and a rising tide of violent crime.

Laurinburg Police recently <span style="color: #0000ff;">arrested</span> several subjects following a months long investigation into a Vance Street convenience store suspected of selling synthetic marijuana, known as Spice.

Dealing in, selling or promoting illegal stuff is not wise. Doing so from a convenience store appears just plain stupid. Any perceived benefits now flow directly into the pockets of bail-bondsmen, legal professionals and the prison-industrial complex.

Two suspects appear to be of Middle Eastern origin, which given the current climate, cannot be considered a plus when it comes to garnering judicial sympathy (if there was any to be had in the first place).

How does this story fit into the <strong>Big Picture</strong>?

If we are to turn things around change must occur. Change is difficult and disconcerting.

Was selling marijuna (synthetic or otherwise) from a convenience store simply a business proposition that's ahead of its time? After all, a growing list of states  now permit the legal production, consumption and sale of marijuana. An overwhelming majority of Americans favor this trend, and even our federal government has decided to look the other way.

<span style="color: #0000ff;">Prominent professions and prestigious organizations</span> now call for not only the decriminalization of marijuana, but all drugs. Portugal took this step well over a decade ago and none of the disasters opponents predicted have come to pass. Most people aren't even aware this earth shaking event took place. The whole thing turned out to be 'much ado about nothing'.

Can Laurinburg and Scotland County successfully reverse the trend of citizens packing up and leaving? Can we expect to even have a shot at attracting retirees if we don't alter course? Statistics clearly show that millennials, gen Xers and Baby Boomers favor drug decriminalization by a wide margin.

Law Enforcement complains about its lack of resources when it comes to fighting crime. Does it make sense to commit scarce man-power, time and money to busting potheads when we're experiencing a genuine wave of violent crime?

With increasingly negative demographics (depressed economy, poor health ranking, poor educational ranking, rising crime and rising taxes) this is an issue citizens must sooner or later come to grips with.

We don't have the resources to allow law enforcement to wander off in directions that not only won't get us to where want to be, but may actually be dragging us further into the abyss.

They're are no easy answers, choose wisely.

LINK: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2016/03/24/top-medical-experts-say-we-should-decriminalize-all-drugs-and-maybe-go-even-further/

LINK: http://laurinburgexchange.com/news/4543/clerks-charged-with-selling-fake-marijuana

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