MN lawmaker fears police drug dogs will be forced to retire if marijuana is legalized
A Minnesota lawmaker is concerned that drug-sniffing K-9 police units will lose their jobs and be forced into early retirement if the state legalizes marijuana.
Sen John Jasinski (R- Faribault) made the comments at a Senate Transportation Committee hearing on Feb 13 as he argued against legalizing recreational weed.
“What’s it going to cost our local law enforcement agencies who’ve done these dogs, who’ve spent thousands and thousands of dollars on these dogs to get these dogs drug trained, and now they’re going to have to be retired?” Jasinski bemoaned. “That’s a big issue.”
Jasinski also mentioned a fundraising campaign for a police drug dog in Faribault when he was mayor, saying “that money is going away because these dogs can’t be used anymore.”
Minnesota State Sen. John Jasinski (R) argues against legalizing marijuana because it will result in early retirement for drug-sniffing dogs: “The police dog discussion … that’s a big issue.” pic.twitter.com/gnYEQKmhhb
— Heartland Signal (@HeartlandSignal) February 16, 2023
His comments were shared in a clip posted on Twitter by Heartland Station, a progressive talk radio station out of Willow Springs, Illinois. The video has since gone viral, getting 1.3 million views so far.
