From CNN:
A truck with three tons (2.7 metric tons) of marijuana was found abandoned on a freeway ramp with its engine still warm, authorities said.
A California Highway Patrol officer saw the rented truck partially blocking the ramp Wednesday night and stopped to offer help before smelling marijuana, CHP Sgt. Telfinues Preszler Jr. said.
The officer found plastic-wrapped bundles of marijuana in the back, with an estimated street value of $20 million.
And a quote from the officer further in the article:
“Somebody’s going be in some major trouble for walking away and leaving that quantity sitting on the side of the freeway,” Preszler said. “I’m glad I’m not him.”
Now I’m sure it was unintended, but it struck me as amusing that the officer’s words imply that the suspect was in much more trouble for intentionally abandoning a truck on a freeway, possibly causing a traffic jam, than he would be for the possession of marijuana.
Read it again – that’s technically what he said. And in fact, there’s more harm done to society from blocking traffic than there is from marijuana. Perhaps we should adjust the penalties accordingly…