Love it or hate it, marijuana seems to be baked into the culture of the Upper Haight. From the throngs of visitors who arrive for 4/20 to the everyday solicitations to buy pot while strolling Haight Street, it's hard to escape the high times constantly occurring around the neighborhood, and many locals and business owners aren't pleased.

But support for marijuana legalization tends to be high in San Francisco—to say nothing of the numerous folks who hold medical cards. As a result, some neighbors are up in arms about active dealers and transient tokers on Haight, while others think pot is relatively harmless, and should be the SFPD's last priority. 

SFPD Park Station Captain John Sanford, however, has said that dealers won't be tolerated on Haight, and that the department will arrest them. "We try to put the message out that's very simple: it's illegal. You are not allowed to sell drugs on Haight Street," he said at February 9th's Park Station community meeting. 

Sanford articulated his thoughts about the neighborhood's contradictory positions regarding marijuana in the recent Park Station newsletter. Here's what he had to say: 

Try being a district captain where you have half of your merchants telling you to stop the drug dealing on Haight, and the other half saying 'It’s the Haight, and we understand it is a part of the culture.' Many of the residents tell me they do not like it, and we need to make the streets safe for those who shop, visit and stroll on Haight Street. There are some residents who have told me they are used to it and understand it is part of the Haight and that is just the way it is, and they accept it. To add to the complexity, visitors come from all over the world just to indulge in drugs on Haight Street. Originally, I thought this was just a myth or a rumor started by those intrigued by the '60s era. Little did I know, it is actually the truth, and after walking Haight Street for almost a year now, I have personally run into drifters, transients, and tourists who all have stated to me personally that there is just something 'cool' about smoking dope on Haight Street.

He goes on to say that what he calls "freelance" drug dealers (gig economy, indeed) aren't part of gangs or drug turf wars, but instead "come and make some quick money by selling drugs on the streets surrounding the Haight, and escape undetected due to a lack of law-enforcement attention."

Even though it might appear to be a friendly way to make a quick buck, Sanford says, the reality is much darker, and the arrests are worth the resources, even if the cases aren't ever prosecuted. 

Often, those who sell drugs will carry weapons or replica guns for protection from other would-be drug dealers, or those attempting to “rip” them off. There is no need to get into how replica guns are often mistaken for real guns, and the tragedies associated with such actions.

I am not a drug expert, but many argue that these drugs are a gateway into other drugs. The bottom line is that selling drugs on the street is still illegal, and it will not be tolerated on Haight Street or any other part of the Park District. Some have argued and told me that if the DA is not going to prosecute the case, it makes no sense for us to use police resources to arrest the individuals. My response is simple: I have no control over the DA’s office, but I know from experience that doing nothing at all only exacerbates the situation further, and opens the gates to so many other related crimes.

What do you think? Are marijuana arrests worth Park Station's time, or are they just part of the Haight's culture? Should cops be making arrests that aren't likely to be prosecuted? Take it to the comments.