Although this chart only represents a few years since 9/11, you can bet with the consistent rise in drug related arrests over the past 10 years, the PATRIOT Act has arrested and convicted far more drug offenders each year than terrorists.

As we all know, marijuana is in the spotlight, waiting for its moment to become legal. With opposing forces from all sides, this plant has also been a target of the PATRIOT Act.

Indeed, the act -- a piece of legislation that was sold to the American people during a vulnerable time in history -- has been used more in the War on Drugs than the War on Terror, and it's here to stay.

Benjamin Wallace-Wells of the NYMag.com states:

The authors of the Patriot Act always intended that its provisions would be permanent.

Never would it occur to our lawmakers, of course, that after the 9/11 attacks the country would return to a “normal” state in which we could retract any situational laws that were put into place. Nope, we have been stripped of our 4th Amendment rights with no sign of their return. So next time someone justifies the PATRIOT Act as necessary to protect us from terrorism, ask them how arresting thousands of drug offenders protects our American freedoms and stops terrorism?

H/t Reason.com for the image.  Originally published at Silver Circle.