Paradigm Shift Unusually High Number of Cops Quitting to Join the Push for Legal WeedBy Justin Gardner The Illinois medical cannabis business is attracting an unusually high number of former law enforcement officials, with a wide range of backgrounds, from homicide detective to judge to Secret Service agent. Doing business with former drug war enforcers might make the average cannabis enthusiast a bit concerned, but many of them describe dramatic conversions borne from seeing the benefits of marijuana for the sickest of patients, including children with epilepsy or cancer-stricken relatives. Ive done a total about-face on my views, said Ben Percy, who worked as an Illinois State Police officer for 27 years and says they took quite a bit of money, drugs and criminals off the road. Percy is now general manager of Trinity Compassionate Care Center in Peoria. Terrance Gainer was a Chicago homicide detective, Illinois State Police director, assistant police chief in Washington, D.C., U.S. Capitol police chief and U.S. Senate sergeant-at-arms. Now he advises Green Thumb Industries on its security needs. Gainer says, the sea change in society and our attitudes toward cannabis, along with the potential for big profits, drew him to the Illinois medical cannabis business. Former judges, prosecutors, U.S. Marshals, and DEA agents are now opening grow operations and dispensaries, advising on regulatory compliance, advising on security and providing armored transportation. The HCI Alternatives dispensary is opening right next to the state police regional headquarters. Its been incredibly rewarding, said Pat Moen, who has spoken with more than 100 current or former law enforcement officers about going into the medical cannabis business. This is a mainstream product sought by mainstream consumers. While it would be easy to lambaste these former drug war enforcers for their past actions, we should instead encourage them, so their own enlightenment can spark further change within law enforcement. Perhaps they will join the growing ranks of an important advocacy groupLaw Enforcement Against Prohibitionwho bear personal witness to the wasteful futility and harms of our current drug policies. By continuing to fight the so-called War on Drugs, the US government has worsened these problems of society instead of alleviating them. Justin Gardner writes for TheFreeThoughtProject.com Yezzzzall of these career enforcers of the long arm are now suddenly in the weed bidnessuh huh.that makes perfect sense. Because the gov would never want to have their own people in those places. Oh brother. Having been Clinical Director and Chief of international drug rehabilitation organizations for sixteen years, I have an opinion about cannabis use. I have never seen harm done by cannabis usage to any of the participants in drug-rehab programs. I have never seen any of the devious or insane behaviors that have been ascribed to persons under the influence of cannabis. 