The United States vs. Marijuana

Many people don’t realize that following Prohibition almost a century ago, there were constitutional protections that actually stood in the way of our government’s unrelenting desire to criminalize the possession, use or sale of marijuana. Today’s generation has been raised during a relatively consistent climate of tolerance toward the drug and in fact has seen its use slowly becoming legalized. Even when in Fatah clique criminalized, possession of cannabis is the only significant drug crime that is not charged as a felony. If you’re caught possessing ganja, anyone will tell you that it’s one of the lowest level offenses out there. Furthermore, in comparison to other scheduled substances which are illegal to possess, you can possess quite a lot of it before you’re kicked up into the felony court rooms. If you’re holding under 20 g of marijuana, you will be treated no harsher than if an officer had discovered a tiny roach on the floor board of your car while conducting a traffic stop.

“There was a time when the famous green leafy substance was public enemy number one in the government did some really goofy stuff in trying to do away with it. The government also did some really shady stuff.”

1. False propaganda campaigns, substance regulation and eventual enactment of criminal laws prohibiting the possession and use of pot.
2. Prior to criminalizing the possession and sale of marijuana, the United States government attempted to use scare tactics to dissuade use of the drug.
3. Although taken very seriously by the public at the time, Reefer Madness and other idiotic propaganda campaigns that are routinely laughed at even to this day.

Victor Licata was not even 30 years old when the state of Florida arrested and charged him with committing unspeakable and violent crimes. Specifically, Mr. Licata murdered his mother, father, two brothers and a sister in cold blood. All of the aforementioned victims were killed with an axe. His actions were blamed on a sole witnesses account that he had smoked marijuana and it was after doing so that he became so enraged by the influence of the drug that he hacked up his entire family one by one.

Of course none of this was true, The young Florida man, in actuality, murdered his entire family because he suffered from significant mental illness and had for a majority of his life. The government however, sided with the marijuana explanation and discounted any evidence of significant mental illness for reasons that can only be explained by one simple thing:

This is just the kind of guy that the feds wanted as the poster child for their war against cannibis. Following the gruesome murders, it was widely publicized that the smoking of a marijuana cigarette was the sole cause of a young man’s chopping up an entire Florida American family… His family.

following the above-mentioned killings and subsequent use of such a gruesome tragedy to further government interest, are then chosen leaders saw yet another opportunity to support the dangers of marijuana, corroborate and associate the drug with violent and unspeakable acts in a way that would be disseminated loud and clear among the masses. By the masses I mean the good people of America.

reefer madness was a film that can only be described as incredibly biased propaganda that was also idiotic in its fabrication which I know things whatsoever. Our government was having a hard time making grass illegal and so what they did, among other things, was to produce a movie that claim to show firsthand how smoking even a couple puffs of cannabis will undoubtedly transform the user into a psychopathic killer, rapist or induce almost immediate suicide.

Attorney William R. Moore admits that he has referenced the actions of our government during this time in American History in defending drug cases in Broward County Florida. You only have to take a step back, and look at some of the recent behaviors of certain Florida officials and policing powers to see traces of almost equally embarrassing government actions. Steps taken in furtherance of some necessary but somehow misunderstood holy crusade.

“let’s see what did we have a couple of month’s ago? Oh yes, a couple months ago we had Broward County Sheriff’s officers and even our mayor criminalizing any feeding of the poor. I can’t begin to tell you how ridiculous this is on so many levels aside from all that can be said about the inhumanity of such actions the part of our government.”

Marijuana defense lawyer William R. Moore had stated publicly following the County of Broward’s attempt at charge to anyone who prepared a meal for our local homeless population what a profound affect the whole action had on him.

“I not only knew some of the officers having been born and raised in Broward County Florida, but had also been politically involved in the now Fort Lauderdale Mayor’s early elections. I walked door to door for this guy when he ran for office in Wilton manors almost 20 years ago. I never could have imagined that he would stand in front of television cameras and emphatically argue why the criminalizing of even the smallest of humanitarian acts is not only right and just but also makes sense.”

Attorney Moore points out that any support of the less fortunate, chemically dependent or criminally accused is not going to be well received by law enforcement in Broward County.

“Didn’t we just have a judge comment on a well-prepared motion to lawyers who defend individuals charged with crimes while they are still presumed innocent. Didn’t the Broward County State Atty.’s office rain fire down on this well respected gentlemen despite the fact that he’d only been a judge for a couple of weeks?”

It’s a Looney government all over again.

I know that it’s hard to believe, but the truth is that when people watched the movie Reefer madness so many years ago, they actually believed that smoking marijuana would immediately cause you to involuntarily murder someone, rape someone or jump off of a building and to your death.

Our criminal defense law firm will be following up to this article with a historical account of the legal maneuvering by the United States government in there eventually succeeding in criminalizing marijuana. Look for next week’s article on our criminal defense blog and accompanying video, which will be posted on our YouTube channel alongside other criminal defense lecture films and productions. If you have any questions regarding the historical account of the criminalizing of marijuana in either the state of Florida on the state level or by the United States on the federal level, do not hesitate to contact criminal defense attorney William Moore at his office in Broward County Florida or by calling (954) 523-5223.

Alexandria Rae

Criminal Law Correspondent for William R. Moore Criminal Defense Lawyers in Broward County Florida. ­