Chill Jeff Sessions, Data Shows Weed Raids Killed More People Than Weed Itself

Attorney General Jeff Sessions is worried that pot use is making America not-so-great: "I don’t think America is going to be a better place when people of all ages, and particularly young people, are smoking pot," he told reporters in February. "I believe it’s an unhealthy practice, and current levels of THC in marijuana are very high compared to what they were a few years ago, and we’re seeing real violence around that."

But a new report from The Washington Post shows that drug enforcement, rather than the drug itself, is threatening Americans' safety.

Using data compiled by The New York Times, the Post found that botched swat raids involving suspected pot dealers have resulted in at least 20 fatalities since 2010.

The list of those who died during such SWAT raids includes:

• 29-year-old Jason Westcott, who was fatally shot by police who raided his Tampa home and noticed that he possessed a gun. Officers found 0.2 grams of weed at his house.
• Trevon Cole of Las Vegas, who became the subject of a raid after undercover cops purchased 1.8 ounces of pot from him. He was fatally shot by an officer as he tried to flush pot down a toilet. 
• Levonia Riggins, another Tampa resident, who was targeted in a raid after undercover officers bought pot from him three times. He was in bed at the time of the raid, and didn't respond to officers' demands. He was fatally shot by police after he made a "quick movement," the Post reported. Zero firearms and a small amount of weed were found at his residence.

Some "small-time dealers," individuals who have sold "the occasional joint" to a friend, and four police officers are also among the dead.

We can't make a list of fatalities as a result of marijuana overdoses because there's never been any reported, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration.

One Arkansas SWAT commander defended the use of SWAT teams in drug search warrants, telling the Times that the practice is necessary because officers deal with "dangerous people."

"If you have a dope house next door there’s probably nothing the police can do that would be overreacting," the commander said.

You can read the Post's complete report here.