Legalize it, no doubt! Pt. Deux
On September 11, 2000 a tragedy happened in my life- I got busted. It wasn’t the first time, but rather the first time in Connecticut and I wasn’t prepared for it. When the same trouble landed on me in Maine I get a $50 fine and slap on the wrist. A month after my arrest I became shocked from the punishment the judge handed down to me.
Community Service Labor Program (CLSP) is a name I’ll never forget since I owed 114 hrs. of community service and two months of drug education/rehabilitation. Rehabilitate what? This punishment was a shock, a disgrace, and a huge pain in the ass.
This is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to punishment for the possession of marijuana. I got the same punishment for a meager amount, as would someone who got caught with 4 ounces, narcotics, or a combination of both. Hmm, intent so sell and the distribution of an addictive and harmful drug seemed far from what I was got in trouble for.
Of course there are states that are more relaxed on the subject (Oregon, California) and others who forbid the use (Utah) but punishment seems like no way to stop a problem. To me it seems as if people are making a huge deal out of something that’s not for the simple reason the most politicians, minus Clinton, have never experienced it. To them it’s an almighty "no no" or a taboo of some sort.
In most other countries it is legal or at least legal in parts and look at them. People are friendlier, maybe not to all Americans, but in general. I believe there may be some sort of correlation, but I’d rather go out on a Friday night knowing that there are a bunch of stoned drivers going 20 mph than a bunch of drunkards behind the wheel.
On September 11, 2000 a tragedy happened in my life- I got busted. It wasn’t the first time, but rather the first time in Connecticut and I wasn’t prepared for it. When the same trouble landed on me in Maine I get a $50 fine and slap on the wrist. A month after my arrest I became shocked from the punishment the judge handed down to me.
Community Service Labor Program (CLSP) is a name I’ll never forget since I owed 114 hrs. of community service and two months of drug education/rehabilitation. Rehabilitate what? This punishment was a shock, a disgrace, and a huge pain in the ass.
This is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to punishment for the possession of marijuana. I got the same punishment for a meager amount, as would someone who got caught with 4 ounces, narcotics, or a combination of both. Hmm, intent so sell and the distribution of an addictive and harmful drug seemed far from what I was got in trouble for.
Of course there are states that are more relaxed on the subject (Oregon, California) and others who forbid the use (Utah) but punishment seems like no way to stop a problem. To me it seems as if people are making a huge deal out of something that’s not for the simple reason the most politicians, minus Clinton, have never experienced it. To them it’s an almighty "no no" or a taboo of some sort.
In most other countries it is legal or at least legal in parts and look at them. People are friendlier, maybe not to all Americans, but in general. I believe there may be some sort of correlation, but I’d rather go out on a Friday night knowing that there are a bunch of stoned drivers going 20 mph than a bunch of drunkards behind the wheel.
posted by Andre at
12:19 PM
