Community | February 09, 2009 | 27 comments

Smoke signals

source: http://www.fredericknewspost.com/sections/opinion/display_columnist.htm?StoryID=86185

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JackHerer
Drug Policy News reported that police made almost 830,000 arrests for marijuana law offenses in the United States in 2007, of which 89 percent were for possession for personal use.

"Those arrested were separated from their families, branded criminals, and in many cases fired from their jobs and denied school loans and other public assistance," according to the 2008 report. "The arrests cost taxpayers billions of dollars and consumed an estimated 4.5 million law enforcement hours (that's the equivalent of taking 112,500 law enforcement officers off the streets)."

It's time for some honesty about the country's failed war on drugs. And it's time to take marijuana off the battlefields.
  1. groups:
    Community,   News and Politics,   Health,   ?Source
  2. tags:
    News,  News and Politics,  Health,  Marijuana,  6 more
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27 comments // Smoke signals

  • Giganticus
    • 0
      Giganticus  

    • Wow, that is an incredible number. The equivalent of adding 112,000 officers to work on actual violations of humans if we ended the arbitrary "war" on marijuana. And wouldn't the political capital Obama would have to spend on reform be paid back in spades by we the people? Maybe I'm naive or in some other way confused (too much herb?(hehe!)) but it just makes all the sense in the world to me that this nonsense be ended.

    • 3 years ago
  • Owlman1953
    • 0
      Owlman1953  

    • Seems to me maybe we need a bail-out for police and all others that want to infringe on our rights that's the way it seems to work. Or is it just me?

    • 3 years ago
  • dariusvons
  • SHAWN_RITTIMAN
  • Conniepae
  • Godzilla555
  • PirateSauce
    • 0
      PirateSauce  

    • Oh and BTW, marijuana laws might not be important to you, but they are VERY important to most. Not because we all want to sit around and get stoned, but because we feel it is one of our most basic rights being taken away from us by an overpowering government.

    • 3 years ago
  • PirateSauce
    • 0
      PirateSauce  

    • Sorry but you guys just have to deal with it. Current is filled with a lot of intelligent and like-minded people, and that is why we see so many articles about marijuana, government and atheism go to the top. These are the things people here know and care about.

    • 3 years ago
  • BillCue
    • 0
      BillCue  

    • "Seriously.... I'm considering leaving Current.tv at the moment. I can't stand reading any more Marijuana articles on here. Every time I log onto current it's crowded with articles about weed."

      I agree. Sadly this "democratic" news site does have a wizard behind the scene who seems to have lost sight of the fact that people are bored with too few "news" items and way too many pot complaints.

    • 3 years ago
  • Wrabon
    • 0
      Wrabon  
    • BillCue:

      Welcome to the new Millennium! Please excuse the mess, Bush held us down for the last 8 years. But we are here now and we are not giving up.

      "When the Government fears the people you have liberty, when the people fears Government you have tyranny." Thomas Jefferson

    • 3 years ago
  • Rethink_Drugs
  • barkway
    • 0
      barkway  

    • What a monumental waste of the Police force's time and taxpayer dollars. I wonder how many violent crimes could have been prevented or punished had they focused on those instead?

    • 3 years ago
  • Tommyjolly
    • 0
      Tommyjolly  

    • Seriously.... I'm considering leaving Current.tv at the moment. I can't stand reading any more Marijuana articles on here. Every time I log onto current it's crowded with articles about weed.

      I know Current is based on a democratic system, but I'm not interested in the use of Cannabis and feel like I'm just surrounded by people smoking weed whenever I'm on here.

      It makes me feel uncomfortable somehow because I usually value the variety in the choice of articles on here.

      Edit to the replies of my comment: Unbelievable how rude people act. I was just pointing something out that's all.
      You act like I personally insulted you. Ridiculous.

    • 3 years ago
  • Rethink_Drugs
    • 0
      Rethink_Drugs  
    • Tommyjolly:

      Would you move out of your neighborhood if a bunch of mellow marijuana users moved into your apartment building?

      It is well known that marijuana users are mellow and good at critical thinking. Marijuana tends to do that to people... makes them sit back and reflect on things. Which could be why they are here.

      Or, maybe it is because they like the mechanics of how this website works.

      Either way, I am sure that they will have a positive contribution to this site.

      For instance, I don't even use marijuana at all and I am promoting this article, which I feel everyone should read because it is excellent and well written:

      Bong Hits for Phelps: No Apology Needed
      http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tony-newman/bong-hits-for-phelps-no-a_b_163161.htm...

      Marijuana is no worse than beer... and physically, it is much more healthy for your body than alcohol.

    • 3 years ago
  • Raveway
  • Omravindra
  • Conniepae
    • 0
      Conniepae  
    • Tommyjolly:

      Move along. Why should our conversation be stopped because you don't have the ability to click on topics you care about. I don't click on topics, which I don't care about.

      I care about the War on Drugs. I care about the benefits of cannabis/hemp. I care about the truth. Ordinary Americans have been misled with distorted truths about cannabis/hemp. It's time for change.

      Move along to topics of interest to you and leave the ones who want to talk about cannabis alone. I don't understand your concern? Are you worried we are communicating too much? There are so many posts on current, why the concern about marijuana posts?

    • 3 years ago
  • Wrabon
  • dmass5
    • 0
      dmass5  

    • OR people could quit using drugs altogether. Yes our world sucks but no need to run from it. Find your best high in life, from doing shit you love.

      It shouldnt take a plant to bring you happiness

    • 3 years ago
  • Conniepae
    • 0
      Conniepae  
    • dmass5:

      How old are you? You are correct, we should find things in life, which make us happy. But that's just happy talk. Did you ever read the Serenity Prayer?

      “God grant me the Serenity to accept the things I cannot change; The Courage to change the things I can; And the Wisdom to know the difference”.

      Cannabis is a plant, which has been around throughout history and provides a natural serenity, to help people accept the things they cannot change and the wisdom to know the difference.

    • 3 years ago
  • SDLN
    • 0
      SDLN  

    • I'd actually be an ardent supporter of the war on drugs if they made two adjustments.

      1) Lay off of marijuana. Crack, smack, tweak, etc., are indeed a scourge of society. Lumping marijuana in with those drugs discredits the entire effort.

      2) Make a distinction between drug addiction as a health care issue and sales, trafficking, etc. as a criminal issue.

    • 3 years ago
  • barkway
    • 0
      barkway  
    • SDLN:

      I would add Alcohol to your point #1. There has been more death, damage, and destruction caused by alcoholics than smokers of weed or even cigarettes. I'm always flummoxed when sin taxes are raised on cigarettes to fund some program (like SCHIP) because of the alleged cost to society of smokers but never for alcoholics who certainly cost us more!

    • 3 years ago
  • joaarias
  • crimson_thoughts
  • medHead
  • SHAWN_RITTIMAN
  • Robroy1
    • 0
      Robroy1  

    • What a terrible waste of precious time and miney that could be used for constructive programs instead of ruining innocent peoples lives for nothing. Get rid of these archaic laws already.

    • 3 years ago
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