Cartersville, GA — In one of the most glaring wastes of police resources TFTP has every reported on, cops in Cartersville, Georgia arrested an entire party — more than 70 people — after finding less than one ounce of marijuana. All 70-plus partygoers were arrested and booked into the Bartow County Jail and face charges for possession of marijuana under one oz.

No one at the party was being violent or otherwise causing a problem when police arrived. According to Cartersville Police Lt. M.E. Betttikofer, officers were responding to a 911 call reporting shots fired in the area when they found the party.

As 11 Alive reports, a witness that 11 Alive’s Ryan Kruger spoke to said that he had just gotten back from a movie when he heard what sounded like gunshots. Someone called 911 to report the noise, drawing police to the area.

There were no gunshots, however, according to partygoers, the “shots fired” were merely the sound of fireworks as it was the day before New Year’s Eve. Had it been actual gunshots, rest assured that a party would not still be taking place.

According to a man who identified himself as a parent of one of the subjects arrested, and a flyer, the party was a lingerie-pajama, 21st birthday party, according to 11 Alive.

Apparently not wanting to waste the drive out to the home, police turned the failed gunshot investigation into a drug investigation.

Partiers were both inside and outside of the home and police must have smelled marijuana which then precipitated the arrest of everyone in attendance.

Showing the ridiculous nature of such a massive arrest, the parent interviewed by 11 Alive pointed out that if this ‘bust’ would’ve occurred just 40 miles south, within the city limits of Atlanta—no one would’ve been arrested—and, instead, would’ve been given a $75 fine.

Instead, however, all of these otherwise entirely innocent people were booked into jail and spent their New Year’s Eve in a cage at the taxpayers’ expense.

When police can justify such a massive deployment of resources to arrest over 70 people—for possessing a beneficial plant that is legal in some form in over half the country—something has gone very wrong.

Because there were so many people arrested, many of these people were likely innocent and will undoubtedly file suit against this department for false arrest. Not only will the taxpayers be held to the fire to pay for the partygoers in jail but they will also have to pay the negligence of police in making such an idiotic and rights-violating move.

Sadly, police officers across the country remain steadfast in their negligent decisions to keep busting people for this beneficial plant.

As TFTP previously reported, to protect the town of Thurmont, Maryland from the horrors of marijuana, a brave police officer went into deep cover in one of the most dangerous places on the planet — a Burger King. After a months-long undercover operation, and tens of thousands of taxpayer dollars, Officer Nicole Fair saved the city from the likes of 5 whole grams of marijuana.

Unimpressed? Angry? Feel ripped off? Yes, so do we.

Instead of investigating actual crimes like rapes, robberies, and murders, the Thurmont police department—just like the Cartersville police department—squandered vast amounts of resources to kidnap, cage, and, if necessary, kill people who are voluntarily buying and selling a plant that makes them happy.

What’s more, many of these people at the party likely had nothing to do with the marijuana found and were simply swept up in the tyrannical dragnet thrown out by these drug warriors.

Until American police and citizens wake up to the crime, rights violations, and tyranny which is nurtured via the war on drugs, we can only expect this problem to get worse.