The Failed War On Pot Users

San Francisco Chronicle ^ | 10/20/2005 | Debra J. Saunders

[cryptical]

IN 2004, law enforcement officials arrested 771,605 people for marijuana violations, according to federal statistics. Bruce Mirken of the Marijuana Policy Project was so alarmed he sent out a press release noting that there were more arrests for marijuana charges than all violent crimes combined. The number of arrests for possession alone was 684,319.

Said Mirken of the 771,605 statistic: "This is, in fact, an all-time record. This number of arrests is the equivalent of arresting every man, woman and child in San Francisco." Some 40 percent of Americans say they have used marijuana or hashish in their lifetime, and 34 percent of high-school seniors say they have used marijuana in the last year -- even though the last decade has seen a huge spike in marijuana arrests, according to federal research. When the number of marijuana arrests exceeds the population of some states, the country should be asking: Does it make sense to keep millions of otherwise-law-abiding citizens on the dark side of the law?

[cryptical]

If we just doubled the arrests and doubled the tax dollars spent, we can make a dent in the drug trade. Just because it's never worked before doesn't mean it won't work now.

[rhombus]

"Marijuana is a much more serious drug than most Americans realize. It's a more potent drug than it was in the past."

This is a pure BS talking point.

[proxy_user]

"This number of arrests is the equivalent of arresting every man, woman and child in San Francisco.

While this might appeal to some Freepers, I would suggest not giving them any more ideas...

[Bigh4u2]

"When the number of marijuana arrests exceeds the population of some states"

What states only have 771,605 people??

Wyoming? Montana?

[proxy_user]

If I may put on my serious hat for a moment, let me reply to that.

Whisky is much stronger than beer. However, it is customary to drink whisky out of tiny shot glasses, while beer is consumed in giant mugs.

Moreover, drugs like marijuana and hash are self-limiting compared to alcohol. No matter if the stuff is weak or strong, at a certain point the user loses interest in having any more, and becomes distracted by other pursuits (or falls asleep on the floor).

[cryptical]

What states only have 771,605 people??

Alaska, Delaware, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont, Wyoming.

[zek157]

Hmmmm What an original idea. Would you say the same thing about those people that indulge in alcohol? If not what is the difference?

[William Terrell]

The power of a national government in a nation of law abiding citizens is minimum. The power of a national government in a nation of criminals is maximum.

[Names Ash Housewares]

Raising drug free kids should be the goal, then demand will drop. We are failing to teach children to NOT do drugs, to NOT drink. They know their parents did or do, they see their friends doing it. It is smiled upon and winked at all through society. There is a lot of money to be made these days. These things have been with humanity a long time. I suspect little will every change.

[Enterprise]

Wyoming - 506,529

link

Montana - 926,865

link

[Moonman62]

What states only have 771,605 people?? Alaska, Delaware, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont, Wyoming.

Hew Haw salute!

[Wolfie]

ping

[Names Ash Housewares]

every=ever

Should read.......

I suspect little will ever change.

[gamarob1]

The number of arrests for possession alone was 684,319

That's a lot of Rastafarians

[GunnyHartman]

What states only have 771,605 people?? Wyoming? Montana?

Hey, we just broke 900,000 here in Montana. Unfortunately I think most of the increase comes from immigrants from the People's Republik of Kalipornia and assorted other hippies.

[Bigh4u2]

Thanks.

Guess I should have payed more attention in geography class in school.

(blushing)

[Moonman62]

I read the entire article. It's one big whine that should be accompanied by violin music, full of the same slogans that can be read on any one of the thousands of pot threads on FR.

[Enterprise]

The question was a good one though. I was surprised too that some of the States are so sparsely populated. Here in central Kaleefornia, Fresno County has more people than the whole State of Wyoming!

[StJacques]

The biggest problem we have with considering the question of what to do about marijuana is that the lobbying and policy groups promoting its decriminalization or legalization are some of the freakiest circus-act-refugees-masquerading-as-policy-wonks on the planet. There does need to be a serious discussion about it but how far can we really go when we're also told by the advocates for marijuana law reform that we can't wear leather, that ginseng should be served in school cafeterias, that cosmic rays from meteor showers are altering the human genome, and more?

I paid my way through college working in the restaurant business and that experience convinced me that hard liquor is an extremely dangerous substance, much more so than marijuana. I know someone will probably ping me with a link that says otherwise, but I've seen the ill effects of hard drinking up close and I don't chew twigs and berries.

[mysterio]

You'll like my idea. Video cameras in every home, watched 24/7 by government agents. And random house searches. You never know when it's coming. And if you're not doing anything wrong, you have nothing to worry about.

You see, we have to catch people who are getting high. Because that's the most important issue in the world. Someone is getting high right now, and if we had cameras in every house, we would catch him and put him in jail.

We also need to build more jails. Big ones. And we need to put everyone in who has ever used drugs. Drug users should be made to register after being released from prison so the police and military can drop by occasionally to make sure they are not high.

We can do this. It's going to take a lot of money and most of our liberty, but if it keeps one person from getting high, it's worth it.