This article was originally published on the Marijuana Patients Organization site on January 16, 2015.
This website and the Facebook fan page of the Marijuana Patients Organization has grown over the years, at last count we have 78,000 members and 63,300 likes. Any administrator of a page that size understands the volume of spam that needs to be managed.
Our page is no exception. On any given day our software removes hundreds of spam comments, and we can expect to manually remove about 10 comments, often solicitations to mail marijuana that elude our filters. Pot for sale (or any drug really) is every where on the internet, and sellers infest the comment sections of websites and social media looking for buyers to mail their ‘quality products’.
Whether you purchase your medicine from unknown spammers or from a friend across the country, should you have marijuana mailed to you, even if you are a legal patient?
“Despite what states like Colorado or Washington have passed, marijuana is still an illegal substance under federal law, so transporting it via the USPS can potentially lead to federal drug charges” states attorney Brett Snider.
“In addition, if you’re caught trying to send or receive pot or any controlled substance through the mail, you can be charged under the statute used for mailing poisonous or hazardous items, which can mean federal prison time.”
The US Postal Service claims to have seized 45,000 pounds of marijuana in 2013.
What about private companies like FedEx or UPS?
Private companies like FedEx, UPS and DHL have terms and conditions that mirror federal law and will often call police if they smell your aromatic packages. And they do call cops more than you think.
Ultimately, it does not sound legal or safe to mail packages with cannabis. In states where marijuana or ‘medical marijuana’ is legal, only certain individuals, sanctioned by the state are allowed to produce and sell the medicine. Does the UPS driver possess the same credentials as a dispensary or licensed caregiver? What about the multitude of workers that handle your package as it makes its way to your front door. Imagine if your package is lost in transit, sent to the wrong home or delivered to a young child. What would the court of public opinion or a jury decide.
While it may be frightening to acquire your marijuana from a dingy back-alley, having your medicine sent to your home may prove more dangerous.
[author title=”About the Author”]
Been getting my weed from Cali to Ohio since 1994. Wrapped in plastic bags and not one package was ever lost or stolen. Not pounds of it just couple ounces at a time as I needed it