As some of you may have heard, the U.S. economy has been in the toilet for some 4 years now and shows little sign of getting better. So, in theory, it is the job of the federal government to encourage and foster economic growth.

Most of you also know about the federal medical marijuana crackdown in California (and several other states) that is currently decimating the medical marijuana industry in the Golden State.

I know what you’re saying: “But Joe, that doesn’t make any sense. Why destroy jobs in a bad economy?”

That’s a question I’ve asked myself hundreds of times and a good answer still eludes me.

See, the federal government lackeys will tell you they are protecting kids and families by getting rid of the evil medicine dispensaries. But they are really putting people out of work, which can have nothing but negative consequences for kids and families.

The crackdown in CA has driven many formerly legal growers to the black market. Which not only means that a lot of tax money is now going back to the cartels and dealers, but the flood of weed into the black market has caused a price reduction. This has but even more people out of work and has the effect of making marijuana more widely available to kids since dealers don’t check I.D. and can now sell weed cheaper.

In a normal world, government policies that have negative consequences to the economy, families and kids would be changed or repealed. But I guess economic destruction is what passes for “normal” nowadays.

- Joe Klare