Marijuana Arrests In 2009:

[MikeK]

Incarceration Nation — Marijuana Arrests For Year 2009 Near Record High

Posted: 15 Sep 2010 12:42 PM PDT

[Editor's note: This post is excerpted from NORML's weekly media advisory. To have NORML's media advisories delivered straight to your in-box, sign up for NORML's free e-zine at the link below.]

Police prosecuted 858,408 persons for marijuana violations in 2009, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s annual Uniform Crime Report, released today. The arrest total is the second highest ever reported by the FBI, and marks a 1.3 percent increase in the number of arrests reported in 2008 (847,864).

According to the report, marijuana arrests now comprise more than one-half (approximately 52 percent) of all drug arrests reported in the United States. A decade ago, marijuana arrests comprised just 44 percent of all drug arrests.

Approximately forty-six percent of all drug prosecutions nationwide are for marijuana possession.

“The numbers tell the story; the enforcement of criminal marijuana laws and the prosecution of marijuana offenders, in particular minor marijuana possession defendants, is driving the present drug war,” NORML Deputy Director Paul Armentano said. “Those who claim otherwise would be better off advocating for a long-overdue reprioritization law enforcement resources and concerns.

“It makes no sense to continue to prosecute Americans for their use of a substance that poses far fewer health risks than alcohol or tobacco. A better and more sensible solution would be to legalize and regulate cannabis in a manner similar to alcohol, as is presently being proposed in California by Proposition 19.”


In 2007, the FBI reported 872,721 marijuana prosecutions in the United States, the highest total on record.

Go here to read the full article: https://uwc.webmail.optimum.net/en/mail.html?lang=en&laurel=on&cal=0

Any ideas on how much this is costing the U.S. in terms of treasure and ruined social reputations?

 

[uptownlivin90]

How much is this adding to the deficit?

Where's the "fiscally conservative" tea party?

Maybe if they were aborting fetuses while arresting people who smoke marijuana they'd say something.

 

[topspin]

pot is way less harmfull than beer or cigarettes. It's legal application affects minorities exponetially more, which is probably appealing to many conservatives.

 

[xotoxi]

I just gave someone the legal authorization to smoke pot...so there!

 

[ConHog]

Incarceration Nation — Marijuana Arrests For Year 2009 Near Record High

Posted: 15 Sep 2010 12:42 PM PDT

[Editor's note: This post is excerpted from NORML's weekly media advisory. To have NORML's media advisories delivered straight to your in-box, sign up for NORML's free e-zine at the link below.]

Police prosecuted 858,408 persons for marijuana violations in 2009, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s annual Uniform Crime Report, released today. The arrest total is the second highest ever reported by the FBI, and marks a 1.3 percent increase in the number of arrests reported in 2008 (847,864).

According to the report, marijuana arrests now comprise more than one-half (approximately 52 percent) of all drug arrests reported in the United States. A decade ago, marijuana arrests comprised just 44 percent of all drug arrests.

Approximately forty-six percent of all drug prosecutions nationwide are for marijuana possession.

“The numbers tell the story; the enforcement of criminal marijuana laws and the prosecution of marijuana offenders, in particular minor marijuana possession defendants, is driving the present drug war,” NORML Deputy Director Paul Armentano said. “Those who claim otherwise would be better off advocating for a long-overdue reprioritization law enforcement resources and concerns.

“It makes no sense to continue to prosecute Americans for their use of a substance that poses far fewer health risks than alcohol or tobacco. A better and more sensible solution would be to legalize and regulate cannabis in a manner similar to alcohol, as is presently being proposed in California by Proposition 19.”

Of those charged with marijuana violations, approximately 88 percent (758,593 Americans) were charged with possession only. The remaining 99,815 individuals were charged with “sale/manufacture,” a category that includes virtually all cultivation offenses.

Regionally, the percentage of marijuana arrests was highest in the Midwest (62 percent of all drug arrests) and southern regions (56 percent of all drug arrests) of the United States, and lowest in the west, where pot prosecutions comprised only 40 percent of total drug arrests.

In 2007, the FBI reported 872,721 marijuana prosecutions in the United States, the highest total on record.

https://uwc.webmail.optimum.net/en/mail.html?lang=en&laurel=on&cal=0

Any ideas on how much this is costing the U.S. in terms of treasure and ruined social reputations?

This article is reproduced here with permission from NORML. (MK)

That stat right there cracks me up when yall bring it out. MOST of those were please that were knocked down to possession from something else, just to secure a conviction without trial. Obviously the folks who accepted the plea offer knew they were guilty of a crime else they wouldn't have accepted the deal. If George Costanza had even an ounce of integrity he would admit that is true, but he doesn't , so in each thread we have about this topic he posts and won't admit that, or any other fact.

Also, a great number of these drug arrests were not arrested solely for pot, but were originally busted for a non drug related offense and oh look pot, so that got tacked on to. just another dishonest tactic like the time George tried to convince us all that he had a client who was sentenced to three years in jail for some minor offense, but when the whole story came out it was entirely different.

Yall want to legalize pot. Fine by me , and let each state vote for themselves, but don't be dishonest little scumbags about it.

 

[topspin]

I have zero problem if your getting a big time thug or gang member for pot cause you couldn't get them for something else. And I believe what you are saying about not jailing for simple possession. I like the way law enforcement is going with this, most officers I hear talk about it say they aren't conserned with some otherwise average citizen smoking and possessing small amounts. There are plenty big fish for them to catch.

 

[MikeK]

I have zero problem if your getting a big time thug or gang member for pot cause you couldn't get them for something else. And I believe what you are saying about not jailing for simple possession. I like the way law enforcement is going with this, most officers I hear talk about it say they aren't conserned with some otherwise average citizen smoking and possessing small amounts. There are plenty big fish for them to catch.

While it's true that simple possession arrests usually do not result in jail time they involve considerable cost in terms of judicial process and with few exceptions they destroy the subject's future by imposing a criminal record for a "drug offense" which is available to any employer who cares to check.

And for what?

 

[johnrocks]

Legalize, let adults be adults. If they violate that trust by selling to kids or something then bust their asses, until then, let adults be adults.

 

[bornright]

pot is way less harmfull than beer or cigarettes. It's legal application affects minorities exponetially more, which is probably appealing to many conservatives.

why does it affect minorities more than any one else?

 

[bornright]

Legalize, let adults be adults. If they violate that trust by selling to kids or something then bust their asses, until then, let adults be adults.

What is your feeling of driving under the influence of marijuana? Could there be some neglect of a person taking care of children while under the influence? How about operating machinery while under the influence of marijuana?

 

[johnrocks]

Legalize, let adults be adults. If they violate that trust by selling to kids or something then bust their asses, until then, let adults be adults.

What is your feeling of driving under the influence of marijuana? Could there be some neglect of a person taking care of children while under the influence? How about operating machinery while under the influence of marijuana?

Treat it like alcohol, if a person is out in public then of course their right to do whatever clashes with my right for me and my family to be safe on the public roads.

I just don't see the War on Drugs being effective, more than two trillion has been spent and here we are talking and debating about how effective it is and how drug use is up.

Let adults be adults until they violate that trust.

 

[2Parties]

The prison unions force is strong with this one Luke

 

[bornright]

Legalize, let adults be adults. If they violate that trust by selling to kids or something then bust their asses, until then, let adults be adults.

What is your feeling of driving under the influence of marijuana? Could there be some neglect of a person taking care of children while under the influence? How about operating machinery while under the influence of marijuana?

Treat it like alcohol, if a person is out in public then of course their right to do whatever clashes with my right for me and my family to be safe on the public roads.

I just don't see the War on Drugs being effective, more than two trillion has been spent and here we are talking and debating about how effective it is and how drug use is up.

Let adults be adults until they violate that trust.

There never has been a war on drugs.

 

[johnrocks]

What is your feeling of driving under the influence of marijuana? Could there be some neglect of a person taking care of children while under the influence? How about operating machinery while under the influence of marijuana?

Treat it like alcohol, if a person is out in public then of course their right to do whatever clashes with my right for me and my family to be safe on the public roads.

I just don't see the War on Drugs being effective, more than two trillion has been spent and here we are talking and debating about how effective it is and how drug use is up.

Let adults be adults until they violate that trust.

There never has been a war on drugs.

Well, that's what the two trillion dollar plus debacle is called.

 

[MikeK]

pot is way less harmfull than beer or cigarettes. It's legal application affects minorities exponetially more, which is probably appealing to many conservatives.

I believe there's something to that.

After all, when William Randolph Hearst applied the full force of his massive newspaper empire to the task of making marijuana illegal in 1937 (because of the threat that hemp posed to his timber holdings) one of the most effective lies he had his editorial staff propagate is that smoking marijuana causes negro men to rape white women.

 

[MikeK]

What is your feeling of driving under the influence of marijuana? Could there be some neglect of a person taking care of children while under the influence? How about operating machinery while under the influence of marijuana?

The reason the liquor industry is contributing heavily to oppose legalization of marijuana is they know that legal marijuana will wean a significant percentage of drinkers away from booze (because pot is a much better experience in every way). So the belief that legal marijuana will simply add to the number of impaired drivers on the road is mistaken.

While legalizing pot might not reduce the number of impaired drivers, the number of those who are inclined to drive under the influence of either drug probably won't change.

As far as your concern for the children of marijuana users, with approximately forty million Americans presently using marijuana how often do you hear of them abusing or neglecting their children?

 

[MikeK]

pot is way less harmfull than beer or cigarettes. It's legal application affects minorities exponetially more, which is probably appealing to many conservatives.

why does it affect minorities more than any one else?

One big reason is selling weed is a fast way for a ghetto kid to turn a fast buck. If you drive through a depressed area you don't see any White kids on the retail corners, so when the narcs do a sweep their net is 100% Black.

More than 50% of the current prison populations is for drug offenses, mainly street corner sale.

 

[MikeK]

[
That stat right there cracks me up when yall bring it out. MOST of those were please that were knocked down to possession from something else, just to secure a conviction without trial. Obviously the folks who accepted the plea offer knew they were guilty of a crime else they wouldn't have accepted the deal. If George Costanza had even an ounce of integrity he would admit that is true, but he doesn't , so in each thread we have about this topic he posts and won't admit that, or any other fact.

Also, a great number of these drug arrests were not arrested solely for pot, but were originally busted for a non drug related offense and oh look pot, so that got tacked on to. just another dishonest tactic like the time George tried to convince us all that he had a client who was sentenced to three years in jail for some minor offense, but when the whole story came out it was entirely different.

Yall want to legalize pot. Fine by me , and let each state vote for themselves, but don't be dishonest little scumbags about it.

Regardless of any consideration you've mentioned here the pivotal factor is if marijuana were legal these statistics wouldn't exist, the prison populations would be significantly reduced, millions of otherwise decent citizens would be spared the burden of a criminal record, and a lot of scumbags who earn their living by ruining the lives of others for no good reason would be flipping burgers or driving taxis instead.

The bottom line in this issue is adults who use and sell marijuana to other adults harm absolutely no one. So there is absolutely no moral justification for anyone to harm them. Yet there is no shortage of people, like you, who earn their living by doing just that and seek to justify it by hiding behind what in fact is a perversion of reality. In the humanistic sense it is they who are the criminals.

 

[chanel]

What is the difference in price between legal and illegal pot? If I honestly believed that it would be regulated and taxed, putting the gangs and cartels out of business, I might be on board with legalization. But I honestly don't see that happening.

 

[bornright]

What is your feeling of driving under the influence of marijuana? Could there be some neglect of a person taking care of children while under the influence? How about operating machinery while under the influence of marijuana?

The reason the liquor industry is contributing heavily to oppose legalization of marijuana is they know that legal marijuana will wean a significant percentage of drinkers away from booze (because pot is a much better experience in every way). So the belief that legal marijuana will simply add to the number of impaired drivers on the road is mistaken.

While legalizing pot might not reduce the number of impaired drivers, the number of those who are inclined to drive under the influence of either drug probably won't change.

As far as your concern for the children of marijuana users, with approximately forty million Americans presently using marijuana how often do you hear of them abusing or neglecting their children?

Most actually think that legalizing marijuana will not decrease the sale of alcohol as they will only do both in combination. At present time the percent of alcohol in ones system is 0.08% to be deemed intoxicated as far as filling DWI in most states. The level or measurement under marijuana for a person to be deemed impaired is unknown at this time. A motor vehicle accident where a subject has a positive test for marijuana could be charged with DWI to negligent homicide according to the severity of the accident.

There is actually quite a few cases of parents neglecting their children because of the marijuana usage along with many other drugs. It is a very serious problem in this country today. My personal feeling is a person should choose to raise children or do drugs and alcohol as one can only fail his children by doing both.