Comments on: 210,000 Marijuana Possession Arrests in Colorado Over the Past Quarter Century http://justsaynow.firedoglake.com/2012/10/25/210000-marijuana-possession-arrests-in-colorado-over-the-past-quarter-century/ Legalize marijuana Sat, 18 May 2013 10:36:58 -0500 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.2 By: nonpartisanliberal http://justsaynow.firedoglake.com/2012/10/25/210000-marijuana-possession-arrests-in-colorado-over-the-past-quarter-century/#comment-6604 nonpartisanliberal Thu, 25 Oct 2012 22:57:07 +0000 http://justsaynow.firedoglake.com/?p=3196#comment-6604 What clouds the issue is that there is no distinction between being arrested solely for possession, and being charged with possession while being arrested for another crime. So I would like to see some honest reporting that takes this issue into account. What clouds the issue is that there is no distinction between being arrested solely for possession, and being charged with possession while being arrested for another crime. So I would like to see some honest reporting that takes this issue into account.

]]> By: marymccurnin http://justsaynow.firedoglake.com/2012/10/25/210000-marijuana-possession-arrests-in-colorado-over-the-past-quarter-century/#comment-6603 marymccurnin Thu, 25 Oct 2012 22:48:41 +0000 http://justsaynow.firedoglake.com/?p=3196#comment-6603 210,000 X money it cost to make the bust, take the person to trial, attorney's fees, prison costs = a billion dollars? millions of dollars? Not to mention the pain and suffering of individuals, families and communities. 210,000 X money it cost to make the bust, take the person to trial, attorney’s fees, prison costs = a billion dollars? millions of dollars? Not to mention the pain and suffering of individuals, families and communities.

]]> By: revisionist http://justsaynow.firedoglake.com/2012/10/25/210000-marijuana-possession-arrests-in-colorado-over-the-past-quarter-century/#comment-6602 revisionist Thu, 25 Oct 2012 22:29:11 +0000 http://justsaynow.firedoglake.com/?p=3196#comment-6602 I slightly disagree.... I think the difference is that blacks are more likely to get jail time or severe sentances while anglos tend to get slaps on the wrist while being what I believe is out right extortion of $$$ by the state. Some of that is class based more than racial but we know economics arent equal. The current trend i see with friends is they get deferred adjudication or some other thing on their records but they are still on the hook for all the fees and fines and constant nickel and diming. That said, Its still cheaper and easier to get caught with pot than to get a DUI. The states milk DUIs for all they are worth. But then there is no one lobbying or pointing out how over the top DUI sentancing is. I slightly disagree….

I think the difference is that blacks are more likely to get jail time or severe sentances while anglos tend to get slaps on the wrist while being what I believe is out right extortion of $$$ by the state.

Some of that is class based more than racial but we know economics arent equal.

The current trend i see with friends is they get deferred adjudication or some other thing on their records but they are still on the hook for all the fees and fines and constant nickel and diming.

That said, Its still cheaper and easier to get caught with pot than to get a DUI. The states milk DUIs for all they are worth. But then there is no one lobbying or pointing out how over the top DUI sentancing is.

]]> By: elisemattu http://justsaynow.firedoglake.com/2012/10/25/210000-marijuana-possession-arrests-in-colorado-over-the-past-quarter-century/#comment-6601 elisemattu Thu, 25 Oct 2012 22:12:38 +0000 http://justsaynow.firedoglake.com/?p=3196#comment-6601 African Americans spend decades of their lives, were fire bombed and killed trying to get Civil Rights legislation passed. And when that legislation passed, within a short twenty year period, we had such onerous drug laws that many young black men could NEVER get a decent job - they had that "F" after their name, with "F" meaning felony. Usually for drugs. So in a sense, many black people were right back where they had started from. But it is not just people of color. Our prisons are operated on a "For Profit" basis. When I researched drug sentencing back in 2000 and 2001, I was horrified to come across the photographs of so many Granmas in wheel chairs, sentenced to fifteen years in prison for the crime of medical marijuana. never mind that they really needed to use it to help them with multiple sclerosis. The real crime in our drug laws is that they don't hurt the people at the top. Chances are, if you were born into a top drug cartel, in a Mexican family, and the family cleaned you up and sent you over here for your education, that family has also allowed you to buy yourself a bank. You will be making so much money off laundering the family's money that you won't have to worry about the economy for the rest of your life. And those who are actually pushing large amounts of drugs always have a list of names to "snitch" on when they get busted. So that fifteen year sentence gets pled down to three. But who would Granma have to snitch on? Especially if she grew the stuff herself. African Americans spend decades of their lives, were fire bombed and killed trying to get Civil Rights legislation passed. And when that legislation passed, within a short twenty year period, we had such onerous drug laws that many young black men could NEVER get a decent job – they had that “F” after their name, with “F” meaning felony. Usually for drugs. So in a sense, many black people were right back where they had started from.

But it is not just people of color. Our prisons are operated on a “For Profit” basis. When I researched drug sentencing back in 2000 and 2001, I was horrified to come across the photographs of so many Granmas in wheel chairs, sentenced to fifteen years in prison for the crime of medical marijuana. never mind that they really needed to use it to help them with multiple sclerosis.

The real crime in our drug laws is that they don’t hurt the people at the top. Chances are, if you were born into a top drug cartel, in a Mexican family, and the family cleaned you up and sent you over here for your education, that family has also allowed you to buy yourself a bank. You will be making so much money off laundering the family’s money that you won’t have to worry about the economy for the rest of your life.

And those who are actually pushing large amounts of drugs always have a list of names to “snitch” on when they get busted. So that fifteen year sentence gets pled down to three.

But who would Granma have to snitch on? Especially if she grew the stuff herself.

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