Burning down the house

Yet another innocent victim of a drug raid. An 18 year old woman suffered second- and third-degree burns on her chest and stomach when a device, known as a flash-bang was flung into an apartment by police officers conducting a raid. She was not a target of the investigation.

The actual target of the raid, a 24 year old charged with conspiracy (God they that love that charge) to possess and distribute marijuana, and with possessing a 9 mm handgun. One assumes that means they didn't find any marijuana on the premises either although the article claims the kid admitted importing 1000 pounds over three years. It may sound like a lot to nonconsumers but 300+ pounds a year is not a major operation that requires commando tactics to bring down.

And what is it with this penchant for breaking down doors and terrorizing people in their own homes these days anyway. These cops are watching too much television. There's no need for all this grandstanding and you read of these mistakes all the time. For all the prohibitionist's talk about drugs causing violence, it seems to me the ones causing the injuries to innocent people are the police, not the defendants.

This poor child will no doubt be scarred for life from this "unintended consequence" illustrating once again that drug policy enforcement is more dangerous than the use of the drugs.