Beware: Cops to Use X-Ray Gun to Bust Stoners

[CLICKHEREx]

http://www.hightimes.com/read/beware-cops-use-x-ray-gun-bust-stoners?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+HIGHTIMESMagazine+%28HIGH+TIMES+Magazine%29


By Mike Adams ·

Wed Jul 02, 2014


When the War on Drugs was launched more than 40 years ago, the only tools a law enforcement officer needed to shakedown a citizen for possession of marijuana was a pair of cowboy boots, a drug-sniffing dog and a box of rubber gloves. These days, cops now have the use of military-grade tactical equipment, which will soon include a handheld x-ray gun that can search automobiles for drugs.

The American Science & Engineering Company recently developed an x-ray device called the “Mini Z System,” which is essentially a smaller version of the scanners used at security checkpoints in airports all over the world. The scientific minds behind this new law enforcement tool say they have worked for the past seven years to scale down x-ray technology and make it user-friendly enough for any police officer to operate, regardless of their personal aptitude.

Chuck Dougherty, CEO of the American Science & Engineering Company recently told the pro-police site, DefenseOne.com that the development of this technology will allow officers to more effectively fight the War on Drugs. Mini Z is “a game-changer for law enforcement and border security officials who are constantly challenged to quickly and accurately detect potential threats in hard-to-reach environments.”

In the field, police officers would utilize Mini Z to scan vehicles and their contents during routine traffic stops, which depending on the proximity of their search, will not require a warrant. This means anyone smuggling marijuana or any other illegal substances in their car tires, bumpers or other easy-to-reach, exterior stash points could be pulled over and searched without probable cause.

With a price tag of $50,000, it could be awhile before your local yokel police department applies this x-ray dope-sniffing tactic in your neck of the woods… but then again, maybe not. Police forces all across the country are currently obtaining military-grade equipment with federal funds provided under the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant. This government incentive program rewards local police departments with cash and equipment based on their collective number of small-scale drug arrests.

Unfortunately, as long as police departments across the country continue to bust nonviolent stoners, we will likely see the use of x-ray technology on American roadways in the not so distant future.

Mike Adams writes for stoners and smut enthusiasts in HIGH TIMES, Playboy’s The Smoking Jacket and Hustler Magazine. You can follow him on Twitter @adamssoup and on Facebook/mikeadams73.

[ace1928]

Just gonna put it out there. That is fucked
X rays are mutagenic. Can you sue them for causing cancer once you are older?
I do not understand society as a whole. So fucking illogical.

[Foo]

I call bullshit.

[Anodyne]

We can only hope. This one looks real though: http://as-e.com/products-solutions/parcel-inspection/handheld-inspection/product/MINI-Z/

And after hoping that we as a society would be too sensible to allow warrantless drug sniffer dogs, or tasers either, my optimism is wearing thin.

Now my only question is, how long before they start mounting the damn things onto drones? You could scan cars without even pulling them over. You could scan people without even telling them. You could see straight through that girl's jeans thanks to the wonders of backscatter x-rays... Whups, stay on task there mate, we're only supposed to be nuking stoners.

Time to buy planes.

[Anodyne]

But before anyone gets too outraged about the radiation thing, read the wikipedia entry about backscatter radiation. According to AS&E, their device conforms to standards which make one scan equivalent to about 90 min of background radiation. In other words, the flight itself would nuke you far far worse than the scan. Also worth noting is the point that this type of scan is supposed to be used as an alternative to physically searching people. Air passengers were offered a choice between a scan and a physical search... funnily enough, everyone chose the scan. And as a last point, I don't think anyone so far has suggested using this device to scan humans.

The article above is a bit misleading: yes, devices using similar technology are used at some airports (although many have recently been withdrawn). But they are not the standard kind of transmission x-rays which are usually used to scan baggage.

[wert]

You could ask "west coast customs" to re-create your pannels in lead. While your there they could upstsge your engine to an awesomely total sick carbon farting machine.

May as well get em' to chuck some of there totslly banging subwoofers with there logo on em... just tell em not to forget the tweeters and capacitors and all is good....... ?

[CLICKHEREx]

They already use larger X ray machines at the US - Mexico border, and at the UK chunnel as well, I believe.

People are required to exit their vehicles before scanning.

Lead foil, impenetrable to X rays is / was available online, from Germany.