This is major news.

A google search for the phrase “Connecticut Governor” yields a drug-policy reform site as the #1 result, dropping her official website to #2.

What does this mean?

While Google doesn’t tell the public exactly how its pagerank system works, we know that it primarily assesses links.  It sees each link as a “vote” that the website being linked to is relevant to phrases near the link.

In this case, the phrase “Connecticut Governor” normally points to the official website for the office of the Connecticut Governor.  However, now, with all the attention on the movement to decriminalize cannabis in Connecticut, it seems that there are more and/or stronger links for the phrase “Connecticut Governor” to the website of the Drug Policy Alliance, one of the leading organizations advocating sensible drug policies in Connecticut and around the world.

A few years ago, a concerted effort, called a “Google Bomb,” was made to tie the phrase “miserable failure” to George W. Bush.  This event, on the other hand, seems to be entirely organic and incidental.

Was this intentional and targeted?

As far as I can tell, absolutely not. There is no evidence of efforts to actually game the pagerank system.  Instead, it just seems that many thousands of people saw fit to link to drug policy reform websites when writing about the Connecticut Government.

Why is this politically significant?

As a tech-activist, I often observe that certain types of trends formulate first on the web and later on the streets and in the statehouses.

In this case, I believe this to be the clearest indication yet that drug policy reform is not a second-rate issue or a “third rail,” but is actually the #1 domestic policy concern across a wide array of the American populous.

Check out this screen shot:

A photo snapped today by Micah Daigle at the dispensary in San Francisco.

BREAKING:   I have just received a report from Micah Daigle, Associate Director of Students for Sensible Drug Policy, that he is watching a DEA raid unfold.  This was sent on SSDP’s mailing list:

SSDPers,

Looks like Obama’s pledge to end the raids on medical marijuana
dispensaries was a lie. (Or the DEA is being insubordinate.)

I’m currently standing outside a dispensary in San Francisco that is
being raided by the DEA. There are already a couple dozen protesters
gathered chanting “DEA to away!”

More updates to come…

The Obama Administration recently pledged not to interfere with medical cannabis dispensaries in states where their operation is congruent with state law, as is the case in California.  As always, I’ll keep you posted.

UPDATE 8:42PM:

(from Micah, on the scene)

The DEA still hasn’t come out of the dispensary. They brought in a
sledgehammer and a crowbar, so it look like this is yet another no-
arrest “smash and grab.” In other words, a robbery.

All the local media is here.

From what I understand, this dispensary was operating in compliance
with state law.

I’ll be uploading lots of video tonight.

ANOTHER UPDATE: A local CBS affiliate is apparently first out of the gate with this coverage, including a video.

YET ANOTHER UPDATE: Another witness to the scene contacted me and sent me this video:

Awesome as usual.

Stacia Cosner, rockstar SSDP activist and DRCnet correspondent, brings you: