10 Million Americans Busted for Pot: Enough is Enough

RolandTD20Kdrummer
RolandTD20Kdrummer Posts: 13,066
edited October 2007 in A Moving Train
http://www.alternet.org/drugreporter/63988/

What would cops do without weed? For one thing, they'd sure spend a lot less time arresting and processing petty pot violators. How much time? For starters, however long it took to bust the estimated 739,000 Americans arrested for minor pot possession in 2006.

That's according to the FBI's Uniform Crime Report, which reported last week that a record 829,625 Americans were arrested for violating marijuana laws last year. Of those arrested, 89 percent of those were charged with simple pot possession -- the highest annual total ever recorded and nearly three times the number of citizens busted 15 years ago.

Yet to hear local law enforcement spin it, busting small-time potheads isn't their priority. The record number of busts, they claim, is simply a reflection that record numbers of Americans are now smoking pot.
Progress is not made by everyone joining some new fad,
and reveling in it's loyalty. It's made by forming coalitions
over specific principles, goals, and policies.

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Comments

  • Pacomc79
    Pacomc79 Posts: 9,404
    need to get the middle class behind decriminalizing marijuana, and ending the ridiculous regulations that don't allow anyone to do research on illicit drugs.

    yes it's "high time" for prohibition to end, but unless the middle class gets behind it and votes on it, it won't happen.
    My Girlfriend said to me..."How many guitars do you need?" and I replied...."How many pairs of shoes do you need?" She got really quiet.
  • LikeAnOpeningBandForTheSun
    LikeAnOpeningBandForTheSun Posts: 6,097
    i figure it will be the next generation that seriously looks at legalizing it. Have to wait for all the old people to die first.
  • soulsinging
    soulsinging Posts: 13,202
    Pacomc79 wrote:
    need to get the middle class behind decriminalizing marijuana, and ending the ridiculous regulations that don't allow anyone to do research on illicit drugs.

    yes it's "high time" for prohibition to end, but unless the middle class gets behind it and votes on it, it won't happen.

    that's a tough sell, but the legislation that prevents anyone with drug offenses from getting financial aid for college is a good start. once these yuppie kids start getting drug charges that wreck their college aims, the parents will come around. i also think once the 'greatest generation' and their baby boomer kids finally get the fuck out of the way, we'll have some common sense again.
  • Pacomc79
    Pacomc79 Posts: 9,404
    soulsinging wrote:
    that's a tough sell, but the legislation that prevents anyone with drug offenses from getting financial aid for college is a good start. once these yuppie kids start getting drug charges that wreck their college aims, the parents will come around. i also think once the 'greatest generation' and their baby boomer kids finally get the fuck out of the way, we'll have some common sense again.


    true, true. Probably the best or only way to do it really.

    Hey this is not right my little boy just made a mistake it shouldn't ruin his whole future.
    My Girlfriend said to me..."How many guitars do you need?" and I replied...."How many pairs of shoes do you need?" She got really quiet.
  • surferdude
    surferdude Posts: 2,057
    Pacomc79 wrote:
    need to get the middle class behind decriminalizing marijuana, and ending the ridiculous regulations that don't allow anyone to do research on illicit drugs.

    yes it's "high time" for prohibition to end, but unless the middle class gets behind it and votes on it, it won't happen.
    I think the legalize pot people have t get their act together. They don't even want a breathalizer type test for driving impaired. As a voter the choice the legalize pot people want to offer me is status-quo or more impaired drivers on the road. Given those options I'll choose status-quo every time.
    “One good thing about music,
    when it hits you, you feel to pain.
    So brutalize me with music.”
    ~ Bob Marley
  • RyeGuy
    RyeGuy Posts: 215
    THERE ARE way more people that get caught with WEED than those stats show. I know many Police Officers in Philadelphia and they say it is very frowned upon if you arrest someone for possesion.

    My criminal justice teacher was a philly cop for 15 years and he said he never made a weed arrest, he said they weren't allowed to tie up the system for simple possesion, they would be yelled at by their sergants.
    "Makes much more sense to live in the present tense." Ed Ved

    "No one cares about climbing stairs, Nothing at the top no more." Chris Cornell
  • know1
    know1 Posts: 6,801
    RolandTD20Kdrummer wrote:
    http://www.alternet.org/drugreporter/63988/

    What would cops do without weed? For one thing, they'd sure spend a lot less time arresting and processing petty pot violators. How much time? For starters, however long it took to bust the estimated 739,000 Americans arrested for minor pot possession in 2006.

    That's according to the FBI's Uniform Crime Report, which reported last week that a record 829,625 Americans were arrested for violating marijuana laws last year. Of those arrested, 89 percent of those were charged with simple pot possession -- the highest annual total ever recorded and nearly three times the number of citizens busted 15 years ago.

    Yet to hear local law enforcement spin it, busting small-time potheads isn't their priority. The record number of busts, they claim, is simply a reflection that record numbers of Americans are now smoking pot.

    Another question would be what would PEOPLE do without weed. Imagine how much more productive they could be if they donated that money and time to charity.
    The only people we should try to get even with...
    ...are those who've helped us.

    Right 'round the corner could be bigger than ourselves.
  • macgyver06
    macgyver06 Posts: 2,500
    mike gravel 2008
  • DriftingByTheStorm
    DriftingByTheStorm Posts: 8,684
    know1 wrote:
    Another question would be what would PEOPLE do without weed. Imagine how much more productive they could be if they donated that money and time to charity.

    or imagine if that weed cost a fraction of what it cost them at current illegal prices, and if they weren't so scared to be seen high in public, that they could actualy participate in "normal" life while stoned ...

    some people aren't scared to be out in public high, but i am ...
    i know people know i'm stoned and it's scary ...

    but if it were legal, everyone would feel free to get stoned, get creative, and get involved ... it would just be norml ...

    FYI,
    not all pot smokers are lazy apathetic fucks ...
    look at your favorite band ... ::cough cough ... pearl jam ... cough cough::
    look at their drummer ...
    he is a total pot head.
    seems to be making a pretty good "contribution" in my book.

    same as for their singer ... do believe he is off again, on again ...
    but whatever.
    ;)

    in fact, i worked for an engineering firm... a highly successfull firm that made bank and threw lavish parties with champaign fountains and caviar blah blah blah ...

    EVERY SINGLE ENGINEER ON MY TEAM SMOKED POT.
    Every single one! Even the two who claimed they didn't ... the bookworms, who really didn't smoke regularly ... if you got them on the right day ... they would take a few puffs ...

    ;)

    I hate when people categorize all pot smokers as lazy.

    All cigarette smokers must be idiots who don't "get it"

    and all fat people are just fast food eating slobs with no self control.

    all anti-drug snobs are up tight w.a.s.p jerks who have so many self-image problems that they have to deflect their self loathing on to society's "scum" ...

    we could go on and on.

    macgyver06 wrote:
    mike gravel 2008

    or RON PAUL
    ;)
    If I was to smile and I held out my hand
    If I opened it now would you not understand?
  • hailhailkc
    hailhailkc Posts: 582
    What's the cost for a dimebag worth of weed nowadays anyway?
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  • DriftingByTheStorm
    DriftingByTheStorm Posts: 8,684
    hailhailkc wrote:
    What's the cost for a dimebag worth of weed nowadays anyway?

    Lol.
    if you know where to score a dimebag, more power to you.

    East coast prices run basicaly flat rate, for "kind bud" ... which, typicaly is shitty canadian outdoor smuggled in hay ... with low THC and shitty hay smell ... $50 an 1\8th ... $400 an OZ, street.

    If you have "friends", maybe $270 to $340 an ounce.

    If you live in a decent metropolitan area, you can get real nug for the same price.

    From what i know, west coast runs cheaper ... maybe even like $45 a quarter ... supply is a lot better between california and seattle.

    :)

    but as for "dimebag" ... lol ...
    good luck.

    ;)
    If I was to smile and I held out my hand
    If I opened it now would you not understand?
  • Bu2
    Bu2 Posts: 1,693
    Disagree with the law on marijuana. Hemp is a very useful plant.

    Of course, the last time I said this, I got into an all-nighter with Angelica.

    So I'll keep my mouth shut, except to say that prisons should only be occupied by real criminals, including dealers who sell pot to under-aged kids.

    Peace,
    Bu
    Feels Good Inc.
  • BetterThanYou
    BetterThanYou Posts: 853
    DriftingByTheStorm wrote:
    Lol.
    if you know where to score a dimebag, more power to you.

    East coast prices run basicaly flat rate, for "kind bud" ... which, typicaly is shitty canadian outdoor smuggled in hay ... with low THC and shitty hay smell ... $50 an 1\8th ... $400 an OZ, street.

    If you have "friends", maybe $270 to $340 an ounce.

    If you live in a decent metropolitan area, you can get real nug for the same price.

    From what i know, west coast runs cheaper ... maybe even like $45 a quarter ... supply is a lot better between california and seattle.

    :)

    but as for "dimebag" ... lol ...
    good luck.

    ;)

    $50 an eighth?? holy shit, you're getting robbed. i pay $30 and it's good shit.
    "Have you ever.........pooped a balloon?"
    ~D.K.S.
  • g under p
    g under p Surfing The far side of THE Sombrero Galaxy Posts: 18,247
    I once had a softball friend who was the biggest pothead then he became a cop. I often wondered how he passed the psychological tests he had to pass then how he dealt with arresting peeps for weed possession?

    I hope he was fair.

    Peace
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  • DriftingByTheStorm
    DriftingByTheStorm Posts: 8,684
    BetterThanYou wrote:
    $50 an eighth?? holy shit, you're getting robbed. i pay $30 and it's good shit.

    Good for you.
    But that is standard price in the DC area.
    :(

    and i don't pay.
    i have friends who deal.
    ;)
    If I was to smile and I held out my hand
    If I opened it now would you not understand?
  • my2hands
    my2hands Posts: 17,117
    mother nature has been made illegal...

    hopefully most see a major problem with that
  • Derrick
    Derrick Posts: 475
    The US has been around for what? 230 years?
    Pot has only been illegal for the last 75ish years.

    Time to get back to your roots!!
  • LikeAnOpeningBandForTheSun
    LikeAnOpeningBandForTheSun Posts: 6,097
    g under p wrote:
    I once had a softball friend who was the biggest pothead then he became a cop. I often wondered how he passed the psychological tests he had to pass then how he dealt with arresting peeps for weed possession?

    I hope he was fair.

    Peace

    i heard from a friend of mine going into law enforcement that past drug use is an unofficial requirement for drug enforcement. maybe because they dont want them waste time on possession charges.

    i dont know anyone who was ever busted for possession unless it was added on to other charges (in most cases with DUI).
  • Collin
    Collin Posts: 4,931
    DriftingByTheStorm wrote:
    or imagine if that weed cost a fraction of what it cost them at current illegal prices, and if they weren't so scared to be seen high in public, that they could actualy participate in "normal" life while stoned ...

    some people aren't scared to be out in public high, but i am ...
    i know people know i'm stoned and it's scary ...

    Buy some sunglasses, put some Jimi Hendrix on your walkman/disc man/mp3-player or whatever and problem solved.
    THANK YOU, LOSTDAWG!


    naděje umírá poslední
  • Yoyoyo
    Yoyoyo Posts: 310
    There was a major movement from about 1999 on until about a year and a half ago that expanded the idea of people growing their own weed. The idea being that if people were not reliant on blackmarket marijuana that organized crime could not profit from growing/trafiking weed. The movement taught people how to cultivate marijuana through the internet, with the help of literature(FAQ's etc) and mentorship. The idea of growing your own has always been around, but when overgrow.com started up the movement exploded, and along with its sister-sites, became the Facebook of pot growers. 140000 registered users and 6 million posts.

    The days of overgrow and cannabisworld are over, the owner of the enterprise was busted but the legend and idea live on.

    Grow your own!
    No need to be void, or save up on life

    You got to spend it all

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