Tough-on-crime state lawmakers might not like it, but the Wichita Police Department is wise to not file felony charges for most small possession drug cases. As an Eagle news article Sunday noted, the Police Department files misdemeanor charges in most cases in which the amount of drugs found is less than 0.25 grams, even though state law says that possession of any amount of cocaine or meth is a felony. Raising the felony threshold allows the Police Department to better use its resources, and it helps free up the District Court docket and jail space. Besides, the penalty for first-time offenders usually is probation, whether it’s a felony or a misdemeanor.
Posted by Phillip Brownlee
Registered?
Commenting on WE Blog now requires you to be a Kansas.com member. Use the links above to register, if you haven't already, or to log in.Contact us
Follow us
Daily Archives
-
Recent Comments
- Chas on Open thread 11/23
- Boxlock20 on Open thread 11/23
- American_Way on Open thread 11/23
- Regular on Open thread 11/23
- BlueJay on Open thread 11/23
- okobserver on Open thread 11/23
- okobserver on Open thread 11/23
- BlueJay on Open thread 11/23
- okobserver on Open thread 11/23
- okobserver on Open thread 11/23
126 Comments
Yeah, rapists are a hassle too. Might as well not prosecute them either. Just let em all go. Cops can serve their time well by just hanging out at Dunkin Donut.
It’s time to quit alienating our young people for an entire lifetime because of some bad choice when young.In many cases, the police and court actions are far more devastating than the actual drug use.Longer, tougher sentences for minor drug possesion is trashing our courts and society in general.
Give them a choice… take your chances in court, or sign up for 8 hours of immediate community service, preferably in a drug and alcohol treatment facility.
Perhaps it is time to eliminate victimless crimes. Society shouldn’t pass judgement on those who make bad choices like drug use. It’s their body and hence their business.
If we didn’t go around chasing the drug users, maybe cops would have more time and resources to find those pesky rapists.
Interesting thought, PM..too bad drug use is not a ‘victimless’ crime. Most burglaries/thefts and robberies are committed to support drug habits. That takes it out of the “victimless” category.
This proposed course of action makes a lot of sense…especially since the “penalty” is the same whether misdemeanor or felony. It is not “decriminalization” but a shift in priorities to be able to concentrate on the more serious issues.
Makes a lot of sense to me…
Drug use is a “victimless” crime. Breaking and entering is not. Or driving while impaired. Or beating your wife while impaired.I like the “it’s your body” argument. It seems to work for the pro-choice bunch.
ks-sam – interesting idea. I am somewhat split between that and the complete decriminalization of simple possession.
O.25 grams
Take a raisin. Cut it in four equal pieces.
One of those pieces would weigh about 0.25 grams.
Prosecution for such a tiny amount is rediculous.
How ironic.Even the staunchest of my detractors (didn’t that sound official?) agree that it’s good policy to decriminalize victemless crime in the name of public safety.While our deficit runs 7 trillion dollars, we cannot afford to clog our justice system with minor drug possesions.
Especially weed.Forget all the govt propaganda.Cigarettes and booze kill exponentially far more people than all the illicit drugs…COMBINED!
Great! Now we can progress to the next plateau: legalization.
Soon, we will be able to do drugs, run around naked and have sex in public places. What a wonderful world it will be.
Ever since the Republicans have been in, I’ve switched to downers.
Drug use is not a victimless crime. The victims come from kids being pushed into drugs by dealers and peers. That being said, the same is true of alcohol and tobacco.
I have never been assaulted by someone who is stoned. Can’t say the same for drunks.
Marijuana for certain should be decriminalized. Meth and cocaine should not.
See folks?Even the conservatives agree that we are wasting time and money putting little johnny in jail for a joint!
Next we should reform the big testing craze at school.If we have kids that are ‘at risk’,we should be keeping them involved in life, not banning them.
rura, nuttin’ like the ol’ false choices huh?You must be GOP.If you’re not with us you’re against us.Mushroom clouds.Dogs and cats living together!
sheesh
Disagree Tracy,Without testing, how do we measure our kid’s progression? We are falling scornfully below global standards. The way things are progressing, WE will be the China of tomorrow, being the factory workers of the world market.We need to test and we need to hold TEACHERS responsible. We also need to kick PARENTS in the butt to get involved with their kids and PAY ATTENTION to how they are doing in school.
Uh, ummmm…….Sol?Sorry, I meant drug testing.
Why is little Johnny not moral enough to be on the chess club team because he had traces of weed in his system?If you keep him out of chess club,he’ll be SURE to find some harder drugs.
Little Johnny’s kindergarten class was on a field trip to their local police station where they saw pictures tacked to a bulletin board of the 10 most wanted criminals. One of the youngsters pointed to a picture and asked if it really was the photo of a wanted person. “Yes,” said the policeman. “The detectives want very badly to capture him.” Little Johnny asked,”Why didn’t you keep him when you took his picture?”
Drug testing in schools? Waste of time and effort. Metal detectors and random searches of persons and lockers and back packs? That just makes just good sense.
agreed, again.Man. I set out to outrage,but everyone agrees.
I’m for legalizing pot, but not the other stuff.
I couldn’t possibly agree with this policy more, and I am a conservative Christian born and raised in Wichita, Kansas.
The US has spent over a trillion dollars in the last thirty years, and drugs are stronger, cheaper, and more available than ever.When I go to McDonald’s and pay $5 for a meal, I expect them to at least give me what I’m paying for…but the war on drugs has failed us, and we should be demanding our money back.
It is time to reconsider our nation’s policy of arresting over 1,000,000 people every year for drugs – especially since 80% of those arrests are for possession only.With over 2.2 million people currently in prisons in the US, and most states’ budgets stretched to the limit as a result, Wichita is showing itself to be quite a progressive little city in this great state.
“Soon, we will be able to do drugs, run around naked and have sex in public places. What a wonderful world it will be.”
Cool. Where do I sign up?
“Someeeeewheeeere over the rainbow, way up high…”
Keep movin girl.I’m right behind ya’, trying to get these damned jeans off.
Sounds like a rainbow family gathering huh?
Great! Now we can progress to the next plateau: legalization.
Soon, we will be able to do drugs, run around naked and have sex in public places. What a wonderful world it will be.
Sex in public places should only be illegal if the participants are unattractive.
Door King,Beauty is in the eye of the beer holder.
“Soon, we will be able to do drugs, run around naked and have sex in public places. What a wonderful world it will be.”
Farmie, c’mere. I’ll swing you back to the dark side.
All narcotics should be made legal!!
Viva la Raza Blanco!!
Okay, now we got sex and drugs.Anyone for rock n’ roll?
Trace -If it’s too loudyou’re too old!;)
Julie, you have no idea.Having ran sound for several rock bands, I’m deaf in one ear and blind in the other!
Back to topic.drugs. jail.
IN PRISON…….You spend the majority of your time in an 8×10 cell.AT WORK……..You spend most of your time in a 6×8 cubicle.
IN PRISON…….You get three meals a day.AT WORK……..You get a break for 1 meal and you have to pay for it.
IN PRISON…….You get time off for good behaviour.AT WORK……..You get rewarded for good behaviour with more work.
IN PRISON…….A guard locks and unlocks all the doors for you.AT WORK……..You must carry around a security card and unlock and open all the doors yourself.
IN PRISON……..You can watch TV and play games.AT WORK………You get fired for watching TV and playing games.
IN PRISON…….You get your own toilet.AT WORK……..You have to share.
IN PRISON…….They allow your family and friends to visit.AT WORK……..You cannot even speak to your family and friends.
IN PRISON…….All expenses are paid by taxpayers with no work required.AT WORK……..You get to pay all the expenses to go to work and then they deduct taxes from you salary to pay for prisoners.
IN PRISON…….You spend most of your life looking through bars from inside wanting to get out.AT WORK……..You spend most of your time wanting to get out and go inside bars.
IN PRISON……There are wardens who are often sadistic.AT WORK…….They are called supervisors.
IN PRISON…….You have unlimited time to read e-mail jokes.AT WORK……..You get fired if you get caught.
NOW GET BACK TO WORK!
I’m too old. I don’t like my music loud. Never have. ESPECIALLY on drugs lol.Gotta listen for the cops.
The FDA cracks down on quack remedies now, particularly if they’re determined to be dangerous. Makes more sense to me than what we’re doing now. Legalize and regulate. And tax.
Alcohol gives us a nice before and before and after. Problems with alcohol certainly haven’t gone away with legalization, but prohibition just made sure that lethal moonshine was on tap as well. And organized crime?
How about looking at drugs as a health issue, folks? Most people don’t sniff paint even though it’s perfectly legal. Looks like this one cuts across political lines.
“Beauty is in the eye of the beer holder.”
Hehe, good one, Sol!
Perhaps someone can explain to me how smoking some weeds that grow in a backyard is not a victimless crime.
Who has been victimized by a guy mellowed out by pot? Compare the pot smoker to the drunk behind the wheel. Both may get into a car wreck but it’s the pot smoker who drives at 4mph.
On a more serious side. To jail the small time user doesn’t accomplish anything but introduce them to the more serious user – but there has to be a better solution that allowing just a ‘little’ usage by teens. Weed is now and has always been a gateway drug. Weed is now stronger and much more addictive that it was in the 60’s when it was ok to do your own thing even if it was illegal. If it stops there fine, if not and as it does in most cases drug use escalates, we see a rise in the dropout rate for students, and increased criminal activity to pay for the habit. Read the paper daily – today for instance two people shot on South Oliver and drugs were found. It was tied to a drug killing last week. When kids first experiment with a small amount I doubt if any of them plan to make a habit of it. There has to be a way to educate drug users even when the amount is low. Not punishing the small time violators might just mean that down the road they will be caught and incarcerated as big time users/dealers.
Drug use is a victimless crime?
Hmm, all those huge bales of marijuana that get smuggled in to support the Crime Lords in Mexico and Central America that victimize and generally terrorize the population there including the police.
Yeah, victimless.
PM I guess there are hard headed people in every profession. I have a good friend who is a doctor and has been a smoker since the 70’s. He is now in a hospice is the final stages of lung cancer. In the 2-3 months he has left to live he will be cursing the time he ever started smoking. Where is the paradox?
Two guys were picked up by the cops for smoking dope and appeared in court before the judge.The judge said, “You seem like nice young men, and I’d like to give you a second chance rather than jail time. I want you to go out this weekend and try to show others the evils of drug use and pursuade them to give up drugs forever. I’ll see you back in court Monday.”
Monday, the two guys were in court, and the judge said to the first one, “How did you do over the weekend?”
“Well, your honor, I persuaded 17 people to give up drugs forever.”
“17 people? That’s wonderful. What did you tell them?”
“I used a diagram, your honor. I drew two circles like this: O o and told them this (the big circle) is your brain before drugs and this (small circle) is your brain after drugs.”
“That’s admirable,” said the judge. “And you, how did you do?” (to the 2nd guy)
“Well, your honor, I persuaded 156 people to give up drugs forever.”
“156 people! That’s amazing! How did you manage to do that!”
“Well, I used the same two circles. I pointed to the small circle and told them, ‘This is your asshole before prison….”
“Weed is now stronger and much more addictive”
Nice try, Gram….
Marijuana has never been a narcotic – it is not addictive. You can have a habit of smoking on occasion, but you cannot get hooked.
I smoke once or twice a month – and have for five or six years – does that make me an addict?
“Weed is now and has always been a gateway drug.”
Absolute nonsense – no medical or scientific documentation – just an urban legend. If the truth be known, more hardcore drug users (crack and meth) start with alcohol.
Before you lecture on the evils of “devil’s weed” please get the facts.
“Crime Lords in Mexico”
If marijuana was legal, JM, there would be no need to smuggle it. It could be regulated and taxed as is the case with alcohol. It is far less damaging to the individual and society than alchol, anyway.
You’ve never heard of a dude smoking a joint and beating up his old lady, have you?
But a dude gets drunk and puts his wife in the hospital every night.
BTW – The best pot comes from British Columbia, not Mexico or South America.
Tracy, that is just toooooo god damned funny!!!!!
bbsnews.net/bw2003-01-15b.html
druglibrary.org/SCHAFFER/Library/mjgate.htm
I just have a problem with school age kids using it. They do become lethargic and unmotivated to excel in school.
Yeah well, go ahead and smoke your weed. I could care less if you do or not.
I however, like to obey the laws of our land and honor those who make them. There is science behind marijuana use on both sides.
But the fact remains,
itisanillegaldrug.
The United States is a nation of laws: badly written and randomly enforced…..Frank Zappa
I seem to remember someone (?) arguing against abortion even though it is legal, stating that Slavery was once legal also.
Interesting.
I find it odd that it is generally liberal/liberation leaning people who support reform of drug law while it is conservatives who support sucking the cock of Big government. Be sure to thank your conservative friends for the county property tax hike for a bigger jail, that will be filled and overcapacity minutes after its finished necessiting another tax increase.
Quote from Frank Zappa,
“I’ve smoked ten marijuana cigarettes in my life. And they’ve given me a sore throat, a headache, and made me sleepy. I can’t understand why anyone would wanna use the stuff. It seems such an impractical pastime as you can get sent to jail for it”
“TRACY is a presumptuous twit.”
Trace, are you misbehaving again?
Naughty boy.
“Bad facts make bad law, and people who write bad laws are in my opinion more dangerous than songwriters who celebrate sexuality.”
Frank Zappa
They do teach you in civil class that local law can be tougher than state law but not less than state law. With that in mind what the city of Wichita is doing is illegal since state law says that possession is a felony regardless of the amount of drugs.
I don’t think there was ever any doubt as to how DA would feel about this topic.
Myth: Marijuana’s Harms Have Been Proved Scientifically. In the 1960s and 1970s, many people believed that marijuana was harmless. Today we know that marijuana is much more dangerous than previously believed.
Fact: In 1972, after reviewing the scientific evidence, the National Commission on Marihuana and Drug Abuse concluded that while marijuana was not entirely safe, its dangers had been grossly overstated. Since then, researchers have conducted thousands of studies of humans, animals, and cell cultures. None reveal any findings dramatically different from those described by the National Commission in 1972. In 1995, based on thirty years of scientific research editors of the British medical journal Lancet concluded that “the smoking of cannabis, even long term, is not harmful to health.”
Ain’t misbehaving!I’m just hoping for a career as a presumptious twit.Isn’t that what William F. Buckley does for cash?
Buckley, Bennett and Buchanan…..
You’re out of luck, Trace, unless you change your name.
Q: Can people become addicted to marijuana?
A: Yes. Long-term marijuana use can lead to addiction in some people. That is, they cannot control their urges to seek out and use marijuana, even though it negatively affects their family relationships, school performance, and recreational activities (9). According to one study, marijuana use by teenagers who have prior antisocial problems can quickly lead to addiction (3). In addition, some frequent, heavy marijuana users develop “tolerance” to its effects. This means they need larger and larger amounts of marijuana to get the same desired effects as they used to get from smaller amounts.
http://www.drugabuse.gov/MarijBroch/teenpg13-14.html
Interesting, where did Uma’s posts go???
According to the World Health Organization, the American Medical Association and the American Psychiatric Association, marijuana is indeed addictive.
Personally, I’m confident that the knowledge of these organizations trumps the word of any WeBlogger.
Look who funds the marijuana addiction study no special interests there, no bias?
http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct/screen/BrowseAny?path=%2Fbrowse%2Fby-sponsor%2FINDUSTRY&recruiting=true
1. 3M (11 recruiting studies)2. A.P. Pharma (1 recruiting study)3. Abbott (64 recruiting studies)4. Abbott Molecular (1 recruiting study)5. Abbott Point-of-Care (1 recruiting study)6. Abbott Research Group (1 recruiting study)7. Abbott Vascular Devices (8 recruiting studies)8. ABIOMED (1 recruiting study)9. Abraxis BioScience Inc. (14 recruiting studies)10. ACADIA Pharmaceuticals Inc. (1 recruiting study)11. Acambis (4 recruiting studies)12. Access Business Group (2 recruiting studies)13. Achillion Pharmaceuticals (4 recruiting studies)14. ACMI Corporation (1 recruiting study)15. Acrobio Healthcare Inc. (1 recruiting study)16. Acrux DDS Pty Ltd
morg,As I have said on here many times:There is no such thing as an unbiaded poll or survey. I’ll now ammend that to say “nor an unbiased research study.”
It’s impossible to be 100% sure. However, I’m inclined (as stated before) to believe doctors and the WHO.
That’s quite a list Dot.Seems to me that the pharmaceuticals don’t want you to use maryjane as medicine.
“unbiaded”bahahaha! I’m taking spellin’ lessons from Tracy.
how about “unbiased” =)
.morgAre the pharma companies blocking because they fear medical marijuana will replace what they produce? In Michigan, they banned medical marijuana, but authorized THC pills. I don’t know what kind of a ‘buzz’ you get, but you don’t get the other 114 or so toxins found in smoking the weed. Just curious.
Balls, I’m a presumptious twit.My declarations trump all.HA.
And don’t forget that I snack on flaming dragon farts for fun.
Nobody I know is saying pot is good for ya’.They are saying the time don’t fit the crime.
Tracy,You know where you can find FRESH dragon milk?
A cow with really really short legs.
Sollie, if we could get sum doze pills we’d let ya’ know!
Awwwww…..groan. hehehe
So…Write the user a ticket. Ok, I agree.
Then, three tickets and it’s a felony.
Deal.
Balls, that sounds better than what we got now.BTW, you can get a DUI on pot.
Nuts,sounds fair.
Tracy,I’ll have to ask around. It is new legislation…. But… my wife DOES work for a doctor… hee hee hee (sorry for the theft KSFG)
Damn straight you can get a DUI. Check this crap out. The Granholm bitch that (groan) got re-elected here passed the following legislation…
You get popped for a DUI. All the regular fines and penalties as usual – monetary, jail time, points on your license.
The kicker… on TOP OF THAT, you get to pay an $800 driver’s responsibility fine. Sound cool? Wait it gets better. You CAN NOT pay it all at once. Half this year, half the next. If you forget to pay, then they suspend your license. If you are caught driving on suspended, you get a $1,000 driver’s responsibility fine with the same rules.
Gotta love justice !!! Any legal beagles out there, isn’t this double jeopardy?
Tracy,It’s 525 companies long.Kgn if I disagree with your view point it’s my job as a blog commentator to find something that supports my viewpoint.Everything has a bias as you say.Sdv8 if I was a drug company I would operate as you describe. I was not aware of the toxins involved thanks for the heads up.
Sol, as long as they say DRUGS,they can break the law all they want.They already have with their stew-pud tax stamps etc.
But if a politician comes out against any law affiliated with drugs,HE GETS CRUCIFIED.
Marijuana has about 400 chemicals in its most natural state
detox-narconon.org/marijuana-detox.html
don’t be fooled though. Cigs have just about as many.
Here we go. Haven’t heard of this…
canorml.org/healthfacts/vaporizers.html
Sol, short answer; not double jeopardy. Reason: driving on suspended is a different violation (crime) than DUI.
Anytime you inhale smoke it’s bad.Try brownies. HAremember Alice B. Toklas?
Thanx VT, but I am referring to getting a DUI, paying the (here) Secretary Of State (might be DMV there) then having to pay the Secretary of Treasury for another fine ‚Äì Driver’s Responsibility.
morg you make too much sense.Of course the stuff we post only supports our position.Whadya think this is?opposites day?
OK, Sol, thanks for the clarification; still no, fine, etc. to Court on DUI; administrative penalty (driver’s responsibility fee) to your Secretary of the Treasury (in Kansas, that is the Department of Revenue, Motor Vehicles Division [I think]); don’t do DUI cases, but that’s my recollection from a CLE attended a few years ago.
Now that the morons and trollers have left, we can have a reasonable discussion…..
The dollars spent by local, state and federal governments in pursuit of marijuana violations would be far better spent on hardcore drugs like crack, meth and heroin.
The fact of the matter is, people do not prostitute, burglar or murder to support a marijuana “habit.” People do not destroy their lives and the lives of their families to smoke a little pot.
Even rational people, many so-called upstanding citizen, fall prey to the lure of crack, meth and heroin. I have seen what a crack addict can do to their family and friends. I have seen what meth can do.
Priorities have to be rearranged when it comes to the “war on drugs.” After our abandonment of Afghanistan for Iraq, that country has now become the number one producer of poppies for heroin production in the world. More than half of Afghanistan’s ecomony is based on poppy production.
Pursuing marijuana convictions and jailing users is like banning BB Guns and forgetting about the users of Glocks and AK 47’s.
It is nearly political suicide to suggest legalizing marijuana, but reasonable people will prevail on day.
Until then, my stash is well hidden and even your drug sniffing dog won’t be able to find it.
I took the time several years ago to spend a day in court to become acquainted with some of the local judges.
I must say that the Judges sitting on the cases for DUI were not at all pleasant with the offenders. They didn’t want to hear any excuses nor did they accept any reason for a repeat offense. Mainly because the Judge had clearly outlined what to do and what not do do for DUI offenders.
Any repeat offenders or violations of the legal provisos were dealt with in swift judgment.
The court is not a place to be talking smack.
Myth: Marijuana is More Damaging to the Lungs Than Tobacco. Marijuana smokers are at a high risk of developing lung cancer, bronchitis, and emphysema.
Fact: Moderate smoking of marijuana appears to pose minimal danger to the lungs. Like tobacco smoke, marijuana smoke contains a number of irritants and carcinogens. But marijuana users typically smoke much less often than tobacco smokers, and over time, inhale much less smoke. As a result, the risk of serious lung damage should be lower in marijuana smokers. There have been no reports of lung cancer related solely to marijuana, and in a large study presented to the American Thoracic Society in 2006, even heavy users of smoked marijuana were found not to have any increased risk of lung cancer. Unlike heavy tobacco smokers, heavy marijuana smokers exhibit no obstruction of the lung’s small airway. That indicates that people will not develop emphysema from smoking marijuana.
Tracy,Just wanted to see what Kgn would say. He states the obvious I do the same rinse lather repeat.
Duty calls.Good day all
“That is, they cannot control their urges to seek out and use marijuana, even though it negatively affects their family relationships, school performance, and recreational activities”
Is that like my urge to stay up way too late last night (and even later for OU-BoiseSt) watching football ” even though it negatively affects their family relationships, job performance, and recreational activities”?
Oh yeah, make my steroids and human growth hormone legal, too!
Viva la Raza Blanco!!!
“Marijuana has about 400 chemicals in its most natural state”
And so does oregano.
WSC, check your mail.And pot does hurt your lungs.(hack, hack, cough, sputter)It burns sooo much hotter that the heat is what does the most damage.
Jeez, some of MY recreational activities are greatly enhanced by having a smoke beforehand.
hmmmm……..Yeah, but that damned oregano doesn’t burn good. HA
Tracy,Use a water bong. Add a few ice cubes =)
“It burns sooo much hotter that the heat”
Dang it, Tracy, haven’t I taught you anything?
Use a good quality water pipe or bong and it will cool the smoke greatly, allowing you to hold your toke longer and burn less pot.
Now go to the blackboard and write 100 times – “use a water pipe.”
Do that right after you finish your nachos.
See how talking drugs brings out the trollies. Bad trollies BAD !!!
WSC, I’m gettin to old to go bonging anymore.Last time I went to a head shop,the kid behind the counter kept callin me Pops.”You in the wrong place, Pops?”"Music store is next door.”
Hell back in the day all I needed was a sonic tray under the car seat and some Prince Albert skins!
Crap, Trace, the last time I hit a head shop, the little punk behind the counter offered me a Senior Citizen’s Discount.
No, pot is not addictive. I’ve never known anyone to freak out whatsoever because they couldn’t get any. Nothing worse than an ‘oh man, bummer’.
So JM, how is it that “crime lords” in Mexico can terrorize a population when someone grows their own in their basement? Neo-con logic never made any sense. Or is it from the DEA money spent on paramilitary groups that go under the guise of a war on drugs that terrorize civilians and that funding wouldn’t have been possible if some guy didn’t smoke his own homegrown?
Click you heels three times and come back to reality JM.
“The fact of the matter is, people do not prostitute, burglar or murder to support a marijuana “habit.” People do not destroy their lives and the lives of their families to smoke a little pot.”
Impossible to prove.
Well, this subject is a little too close for comfort for me. I love and care for, and can understand and relate to first hand, many addicted people. Good people make bad choices is one thing I’ve come to realize.
While drugs were never an issue for me, I do know first hand that everyone has a loaded gun called addiction inside themselves. Some have a hair pin trigger, and if they ever do anything, even a light weight drug like alcohol, they are going to become dependant, the gun is going to go off. Others have a hard trigger, but years of chosen behavior can cause the gun to fire as well.
The problem with cocaine, meth, and heroin is that everybodys trigger is hair pin when the body experiences those chemicals. I believe issueing something similiar to a traffic ticket and letting someone walk is the wrong thing to do. I believe in a severe penalty, a penalty that will ruin the persons entire chance of a future UNLESS they give up the person they received the drugs from. THEN if they do, and submit to community service, and attend a 12 step program twice a week for 6 weeks, they should get a 2nd chance.
Anyone who gives, sells , provides in any way a drug for / to another human being should be DONE! FINISHED, NEVER TO BE A MEMBER OF SOCIETY EVER AGAIN! At least for 10 years. Providing drugs to someone is the same thing as putting one bullet in a revolver, pointing it at their heads and pulling the trigger. IT COULD KILL THEM, whether it be in a year, 10 years, or 20!
I’ve seen the carnage left in drug addictions wake, and I hate it. Every one of those people have one thing in common. They got drugs a FIRST time, FROM SOMEBODY!
I’m sorry if I seem so extreme on this, but if the consquences are published and screamed from the roof tops, then everyone would know, and it would be fair game.
I also don’t believe in prisons for these people. I believe in farms, and putting illegal migrant workers out of work.
Just my opinion, but if you opened the obits every day and couldn’t help but scan the obits to see if someone you know threw their life away literally, you may have the same feelings on the subject as I do.
“Impossible to prove.”
True. I have known of many people who have done these things to support their alcohol habit. It is not entirely beyond the realm of likelihood that someone does it for pot. Or Oreos …
FF, a hell of a lot more people have “lost” their lives to alcohol than have to marijuana, so why is alcohol legal and advertised and pot puts you in prison?
If you are interested in protecting us from ourselves, then you should start with the drug that is used far more than all the others combined.
DA,That argument just won’t fly.
Comparing the incidence of trauma (lost lives, etc.) related to alcohol to that related to marijuana is meaningless.
Alcohol is legal. Pot is not. Far more people are going to drink than are going to smoke dope. And it’s difficult to normalize the data to make a “per user” analysis.
Fact: it’s illegal.Fact: VERY well known associations of doctors and psychologists acknowledge that it’s addictive and a gateway to more harmful drugs.
FF, could you answer the question, please?
FF, could YOU answer the question, please?
Golfnut, it was legal before it was illegal. It was made illegal because it was labeled as a narcotic which it isn’t.
There is nothing addictive in pot. Like coffee it’s not addictive but it’s habit forming. The internet can be said to be addictive as well but it really isn’t anything other than a psychological habit. So you are in favor of banning the internet and coffee? How absurd.
Former Supreme Court Justice Reinquist abused a perfectly legal drug, so did Rush Limbaugh and those legal medications did them physical harm. Pot has never killed anyone and it’s less dangerous than cigarettes (which is also legal). Just because something is illegal doesn’t make it wrong, just because something is legal doesn’t make it right.
Is there any justification for spending billions of dollars and incarcerating for years people who have a couple of joints in their pocket? That money could be used to keep people off of harmful drugs. So what is the real purpose of getting marijuana illegal? Perhaps because it causes people to relax and because it sounds Mexican.
Tracy has a little dick and WSClark’s malignant narcissism, paranoia and defensive aggression ‚Äì date from his relationship with his father rather than the mother-child bond. This has shaped all he has done and will do.
Given a compulsion towards addictive behavior, any pattern of behavior can be considered addiction. I guarantee everyone on this blog is addicted to food, water, and breathing. Anyone who disagrees, I welcome to try and quit for a week, all three at once.
I worry more about the cheeseburger abusing welfare recipients sucking up funds than I do someone doing bong hits.
F*ck the DEA, the ONDCP, and the Partnership for a Drug Free America, the DARE campaign…. they support the terrorists because they drive DOWN supply and UP prices for the drug lords. They are the guarantee that drugs in this country will always have a high profit margin for organized crime.
Doug,I choose to believe the words of doctors, psychologists and the WHO over your opinion.
No offense.
“I however, like to obey the laws of our land and honor those who make them.”
I do not see any reason to honor those who have no honor.
I would wager a large amount of money that the true gateway drug of America is alcohol. I.E. the first drug a drug abuser took in most cases was not marijuana.
The artificial buttress of legal/illegal isn’t relevant to the relative damage caused by one or the other.
So, Todd on honor…That includes every Governor, State Assemblies, County Judges, U.S. Congress, U.S. Senate, All Presidents and generally anyone who has worked in any form of government at any level for the history of the U.S. ?
Basically, anyone who has taken money from a lobbyist. Does that answer your question?
Todd,
A very long list I would suspect; on all sides of the Political Spectrum.
Yep – and that’s why I don’t subscribe to political parties. It’s designed to keep us arguing while they sell this country down the river.
Booze a ‘lightweight drug’?No credibility there.Be as extreme as you want because your opinion is incredible anyway.
Nothing “FREE” about your stance.
Todd – I was told once by a treatment professional that the best early indicator of future drug addiction is young-age smoking. #2 indicator was early drinking.
golfer – narcotics are alkaloids. Tetrahydrocabinol is not an alkaloid.
golfer:
“Fact: VERY well known associations of doctors and psychologists acknowledge that it’s addictive and a gateway to more harmful drugs.”
Not the ones I have talked to. Have any links to their reports?
quote: I would wager a large amount of money that the true gateway drug of America is alcohol
VERY TRUE! But some people, even the vast majority of people CAN use alcohol as a mild social sedative with no ill effect.
That line is crossed with pot, it’s using a chemical to become full out “high” … not just mildly warmed up and happy like alcohol. That is why pot is different than alcohol. The chemical may be less addicting than alcohol (MAYBE), but it’s the nature of the user, somebody who is looking to blow their brain cells out for a high feeling. Hence they tend to move on to stronger drugs once that feeling isn’t good enough anymore.
As far as drugs being a victimless crime, if someone is growing their own pot, not giving any away, or selling it, then yes, I do agree, it is a victimless crime. If that is what someone is doing, they won’t get caught either. Not unless they are stupid enough to do it with kids in the house and they feel compelled to tell the DARE officer “hey, I’ve seen that, my mommy and daddy grow it.” :)
Hell, you can even whip up your own home brew of meth without raising suspiscion. It’s your own body, your own life. Aside from health problems that will burden the insurance system, or medical system if you have none, your really not hurting anyone but yourself, and … if anyone loves and care about you, then them.
The countries where drugs come from, those people are victims. The little kid who watches her daddy get his head blown off because he wants to grow coffee beans instead of cocoa, the rare honest Mexican cop shot trying to stop a drug shipment. I could go on for hours.
Alcohol also causes alot of pain and suffering, but not because of the nature of the drug itself. It CAN be used responsibly by 85% of the population, another 10% choose to abuse it, and in my estimation, about 5% simply can’t use it responsibly. I happen to be one of those people.
If you take 1000 people and had them drink to excess every day for 1 year, you end up with maybe 1% more alcoholism than in the general population.
Take 1000 people and have them use cocaine every other day for 30 days, and half of them will seek out cocaine once the study is over. Drugs like heroin, freebase cocaine and meth, then your looking at full out 100% addiction.
DRUG PUSHERS use dirty tricks, like mixing cocaine and speed to keep crack smokers going longer, resulting in more product used. They track down once faithful users who are trying to quit, and offer to comp them one last time in order to get them started again (this is especially true with female users/male pushers) That is why the police have to DEMAND to know where the drugs came from, and go after the dealers! Even a 1/4 oz.
Tracy,
Yes, alcohol is a lightweight drug for a huge majority of the population. A glass of wine with dinner, a martini while reading the paper in front of the fireplace. THAT’S 85% of the population! No problem, not even drinking to any effect strong enough to make it unsafe to operate machinery. That’s about as lightweight as you can get.
That’s ironic.95% of the genpop feel the same about weed, anon.Weed helps alot of people get off of booze too.
And I, I walked over to the, to the bench there, and there is,Group W’s where they put you if you may not be moral enough to join the army after committing your special crime, and there was all kinds of mean nasty ugly looking people on the bench there. Mother rapers. Father stabbers. Father rapers! Father rapers sitting right there on the bench next to me!And they was mean and nasty and ugly and horrible crime-type guys sitting on the bench next to me. And the meanest, ugliest, nastiest one, the meanest father raper of them all, was coming over to me and he was mean ‘n’ ugly ‘n’ nasty ‘n’ horrible and all kind of things and he sat down next to me and said,”Kid, whad’ya get?”I said, “I didn’t get nothing, I had to pay $100 and dump out my pot.”He said, “What were you arrested for, kid?”And I said, “Just pot.”And they all moved away from me on the bench there, and the hairy eyeball and all kinds of mean nasty things, till I said,”And creating a nuisance.” And they all came back, shook my hand, and we had a great time on the bench, talkin’ about crime, mother stabbing, father raping, all kinds of groovy things that we was talking about on the bench. And everything was fine, we was smoking cigarettes and all kinds of things, until the Sargeant came over, had some paper in his hand, held it up and said.”Kids, this-piece-of-paper’s-got-47-words-37-sentences-58-words-we-wanna- know-details-of-the-crime-time-of-the-crime-and-any-other-kind-of-thing- you-gotta-say-pertaining-to-and-about-the-crime-I-want-to-know-arresting- officer’s-name-and-any-other-kind-of-thing-you-gotta-say”,and talked for forty-five minutes and nobody understood a word that he said, but we had fun filling out the forms and playing with the pencils on the bench there, and I filled out the massacree with the four part harmony, and wrote it down there, just like it was, and everything was fine and I put down the pencil,and I turned over the piece of paper,and there,there on the other side,in the middle of the other side,away from everything else on the other side,in parentheses,capital letters,quotated,read the following words:(”KID, HAVE YOU REHABILITATED YOURSELF?”)I went over to the sargent, said,”Sargeant, you got a lot a damn gall to ask me if I’ve rehabilitated myself,I mean, I mean, I mean that just,I’m sittin’ here on the bench,I mean I’m sittin here on the Group W bench ’cause you want to know if I’m moral enough join the army, burn women, kids, houses and villages after bein’ a pothead?”
He looked at me and said,”Kid, we don’t like your kind, and we’re gonna send you fingerprints off to Washington.”
hmmm,Yes, listed above.
So, the government says that prolonged heavy use can be deleterious. The same is true with alcohol. In fact, prolonged heavy use of MY drug-of-choice (caffeine) can be addictive and deleterious.
the thing, or the real appeal, for most people to marijuana, is that fact that it’s illegal – much the same as the appeal of underage drinking… Think about it – I’m sure most of you are young enough to remember what it was like, being just a year or two shy of legal to drink, going out partying with your friends all the time. And then you hit the legal drinking age (for me it was 21) and within a few months it just didn’t seem as fun anymore. Now maybe the fact that I was in my last year of college and getting ready to graduate and all that fed into it – but for me, once drinking was legal, seemed like it just wasn’t as much fun – no risk of getting caught. I would bet that if you legalized marijuana and taxed it the way we do alcohol and cigarettes – a LOT fewer people would use it than would drink or smoke – because it has been proven that marijuana itself is not addictive, and the other two are, and because suddenly, for a large majority of people, the appeal is now gone… I have heard all the arguements about marijuana being a gateway drug. My son’s father is a drug addict. A BAD drug addict – one of the ones who has been through rehab, and probation and house arrest and halfway houses and finall prison – because a slap on the hand didn’t work for him. The thing about it being a gateway drug is this – I think marijuana is only a “gateway drug” if you already have the desire to try other drugs. If all you want to do is use marijuana, that is all you will do. It doesn’t create this drive to find the high, like so many people claim. In fact, anyone who has tried marijuana knows that the real effects of its “high” are nothing similar to many of the real addictive drugs. So why would it be a gateway if it is a totally different experience?
what message does making pot legal send to kids. it’s just not the same as alcohol! like i said before, you CAN drink alcohol with a very minimal effect, but when you smoke pot your getting fried! END OF STORY!
making pot legal is the same as saying excess drinking is OK. many people do it, but it is an exception to the rule of normal.
i guess it goes to show that peoples opinions are not going to be swayed, no matter what, once they make up their minds.
i will say however, that pot is not anywhere close to being a dangerous drug like cocaine, meth and heroin are.
as far as it being useful to quit alcohol, i beg to differ. i can tell you first hand that if somebody isn’t learning how to live life onlifes terms without a chemical after suffering from alcoholism without using other chemicals, their prospects don’t look good. certain exceptions deemed necessary by a doctor do apply, such as treating chemical imbalances or severe psychotic behavior, severy depression etc…
Blackmarket and organized crime need illegal or highly taxed products to sell. Legal products, such as aspirin don’t lead to crime and huge profits. But since alcohol prohibition ended, the only product in the United States that is “illegal” are the drugs on the “bad list.”Crime became organized with Prohibition and did not cease to exisit with repeal, it moved into drugs. They advertised and gave away “free samples” to the young. It was a recruiting tool for prostitution. It was illegal, cheap as a raw product, an ideal blackmarket product.But drugs cause crime because the legal banned status of drugs and their addictive properties and criminal distribution keep the prices higher than would be the case with a free market.So the marketing plan is to addict the young who by definition don’t know any better and recruit them into becoming “sales associates” as well as users. Or they become burglars and prositutes to get the money, in any case crime goes up as well as violence.Should we decriminalize? No, that just means the underworld blackmarket with all its evils stays in place and the buyers [addicts] are unrestrained from use by even the slight effect of being arrested.
The answer seems to me to be complete legalization of all drugs, combined with an education and treatment program to make drugs less attractive.
Keep the laws on being intoxicated in public, driving or were being “high” caused risk to the public. Don’t spend tax dollars to help “sell” the drugs to users.
Do what I said years ago when selected for jury duty, legalize all drugs for adukts and execute anyone who sells drugs to children.
Destroy organized crime and the distribution chain by legal and therefore controlable sales. This plan should also include the friend who provides these recreational drugs to under-age buyers, whether that be the drunk who buy beer and hard liquor or heroin, make the price to the suppliers and facilitators so high that the market ceases to push the drugs.But our current war on drugs makes the dealer more money and does nothing to reduce demand. In fact, normal childhood rebelion may feed on the illegal status of the current laws.Do away with the health and accident risks without empowering organized crime. Punish the impaired driver, protect children with real punishment, including the death penalty, for suppliers to under-age children. Do away with organized crime.
By the way, both the prosecution and defense lawyers had be excused from that jury panel, neither side wanted me on the jury, the case must have been for a drug dealer who sold to children.