As the push for cannabis legalization in Minnesota gains momentum, it seems the well-being of these K-9s has somehow become a primary argument against it.

Minnesota's House of Representatives recently passed a bill to legalize non-medical marijuana for individuals 21 and older, with a vote of 71-59. However, Republican state Rep. Brian Johnson voiced his concern over the costs associated with retiring police dogs trained to sniff out cannabis. Apparently, the default state of unemployment for dogs is a problem that should hold priority over human freedom and well-being.

"I did not see anything reading through the bill dealing with our K-9 units," Johnson said. "Can you tell me how much money is in this bill to help defer the cost to our counties and police departments for the cost of the retirement of the dogs?"

This K-9-centric mindset isn't new. Minnesota State Sen. John Jasinski, also a Republican, previously raised the "police dog discussion" during a committee hearing, lamenting the "thousands and thousands of dollars" spent on training these furry narcs, who will now have to retire due to cannabis legalization.

It's worth noting that the legal cannabis industry has already created hundreds of thousands of jobs for humans. Yet, it seems the careers of drug-sniffing dogs are held in higher regard by some politicians.

Training a police dog can cost between $12,000 and $15,000, according to the police website Police1. This doesn't include the salary of their human handler. But perhaps these politicians should focus on the bigger picture, such as the racist legacy and brutal attacks associated with police dogs. As reported by the Marshall Project, victims of police dog bites are disproportionately black men. One needs only search the word "maul" in our archives to see the utterly horrifying cases of K-9 attacks on men, women, and even children.