I read under the “Regional Digest” heading of The Natchez Democrat, in the Aug. 14 edition, the brief story of the discovery of 691-plus pounds of marijuana, destined for a “location in Louisiana,”, being driven in a van by one Pedro Matamoros, of Brownsville, Texas.

The marijuana was seized by Louisiana State Police after a search order of the vehicle was authorized. The incident took place on U.S. Interstate 10, east of Breaux Bridge, Louisiana. The discovery of the marijuana was linked to a “Texas Man,” driving a 2012 Dodge van, following a routine traffic stop for “improper lane use.”

The marijuana, according to the report, held an estimated “street” value of $1 million dollars. St. Martin Parish Jail officials have the driver of the vehicle in custody. Unlike Colorado, Louisiana does not presently allow the legal use or possession of marijuana.

Since Mississippi has a rather high unemployment rate as well as a rather low median average income, it seems it would make sense for the state of Louisiana, which cannot legally trade in marijuana, to gift their seized marijuana in a neighborly gesture to the University Of Mississippi, where the nation’s only legalized marijuana farm is located. In this way, the State Of Mississippi could then sell the marijuana to the residents of Colorado, where casual possession and use of marijuana is now legal. This sort of commerce would undoubtedly result in the creation of a few jobs.

As we all know, KiOR is now planning to balk on its earlier plan for the creation of new Mississippi jobs by shuttering the production facility that was slated for Natchez. But, as we also know, and from reading the Aug. 14 edition of The Natchez Democrat, “Every job we can bring to Natchez, [and by extension to Mississippi], is an important one.”

Under such an exchange, federal government interstate highway officials could then implement driving school refresher courses for transient Texas motorists traveling through the bayou state to prevent future “improper lane use” traffic violations from occurring. This would result in even more jobs being created.

This is what is known as a win-win situation.

 

Keith Benoist

Natchez