Obama commutes prison sentences of 214 Drug Offenders

[QuickHitCurepon]

Good. It's time we end the "War on Drugs" altogether.

The cartels would love that. They can move on to making hostage-taking a business.

Ending the drug war would get rid of the cartels, moron. It's the black market that allows them to thrive, just like Prohibition created Al Capone.

They are just going to lay down and quit with billions of dollars at their disposal. They will figure something out. The cartels are already in the hostage-taking business to some degree.

 

[Dont Taz Me Bro]

Good. It's time we end the "War on Drugs" altogether.

The cartels would love that. They can move on to making hostage-taking a business.

Ending the drug war would get rid of the cartels, moron. It's the black market that allows them to thrive, just like Prohibition created Al Capone.

They are just going to lay down and quit with billions of dollars at their disposal. They will figure something out. They are already in the hostage-taking business to some degree.

There won't be billions at their disposal once nobody buys their product.

Tell me, brainiac, where are all the murderous liquor bootleggers at?

 

[QuickHitCurepon]

Good. It's time we end the "War on Drugs" altogether.

The cartels would love that. They can move on to making hostage-taking a business.

Ending the drug war would get rid of the cartels, moron. It's the black market that allows them to thrive, just like Prohibition created Al Capone.

They are just going to lay down and quit with billions of dollars at their disposal. They will figure something out. They are already in the hostage-taking business to some degree.

There won't be billions at their disposal once nobody buys their product.

Tell me, brainiac, where are all the murderous liquor bootleggers at?

Are they going to bury all that money like pirates?

 

[Nia88]

Non-violent drug offenses should not land you in jail.

100% agreed. These people need rehab and not jail where they can still get their fix.

 

[Conservative65]

Your link is clearly an anti Obama .......... Cherry picking and missing important reasons why Obama is granting clemency for 214 prisoners.
TODAY ...... If you get caught with 2 pounds of cocaine..... You will go to jail 2 to 4 years but with good behavior you'll get out half of that.
If you get caught with 20 pounds of marijuana you will go to jail one to 3 years.
BEFORE...... If you get caught with the same amount of drugs and mj you will incarcerated from 8 to 20 years.......

Look at this way this will save tax payers from $7 to $8 millions each year.

I questioned whether or not it was a wise move to select 214 prisoners - the majority of which were in prison for crimes related to crack cocaine - to have their sentences commuted. Are you suggesting that no one is permitted to question the actions of President Obama?

You can question anyone you like.................. But the link is cherry picking............. Some of these inmates has been there for decades or 8 to 14 years for 40 pounds of marijuana or 10 pounds of cocaine........ Today penalties are from one to 6 years at most.

Had those that have been there for 8 - 14 years been sentenced today, they wouldn't be there but 1 - 6 years. When they were sentenced then, it was longer.

I wasn't aware that you had the information list on who the prisoners were and how long they had been there. Can you share that with us? Link and sources. I appreciate it. Thank you.

Conservative65, I'm not saying what you claim isn't possible - I just need for you to prove that you have some actual "evidence" - sources, links, .....to back up the claims you've just made. Thanks.

I was going on the statement made by Charwin. Charwin said some of the inmates had been there for 8 - 14 years for 40 lbs. or marijuana or 10 lbs. of cocaine but today's penalties would only be 1 - 6 years. My point was that when those there for 8 - 14 years were sentenced, that was the sentence and it was longer than perhaps what the sentence is today.

My statement had nothing to do with who they were or how long they'd been there but that at different time, sentences may be different than they were at other times.

 

[Conservative65]

Non-violent drug offenses should not land you in jail.

100% agreed. These people need rehab and not jail where they can still get their fix.

Who pays for the rehab?

 

[Conservative65]

So if we arent using stats or facts should we start our posts with "One dark and stormy night..."?

Your problem is you twist them to make it appear something it isn't and don't accept anything but agreement with what you say. Stats don't mean what you say they mean just because you say it.

I havent given not one stat but you've already started making excuses on why the stats I havent even presented yet are wrong. LMAO

Yet you claim stats you admit not having provided are facts.

Stats are facts whether their presented or not. I mean you're already using an excuse on why you dont believe information that I havent even given yet. So how honest will you be once someone presents one?

Not at all because for some reason you dont trust stats or facts. So what is this discussion about? What you FEEL?

Stats in this discussion are NOT facts until you post them so we can see them. You cannot simply claim that statistics support your argument and then not post the statistics so that others can see where you are getting your information from, Caption.

I find it hilarious that CC says I have found excuses not to believe stats he hasn't posted yet believes something he hasn't posted is facts because he claims it is. Until they're posted and show what he says they show, my statement of them being nonsense has support.

 

[saintmichaeldefendthem]

Good. It's time we end the "War on Drugs" altogether.

The cartels would love that. They can move on to making hostage-taking a business.

Ending the drug war would get rid of the cartels, moron. It's the black market that allows them to thrive, just like Prohibition created Al Capone.

Yes. I'm sure the cartels will say, "Oh well, they ended the war on drugs. Time to find a legal job now that pays a fraction what we make now."

 

[Conservative65]

Almost no one smokes? The CDC reports (2014) that 19% of adult men and 15% of adult women smoke. Apparently they haven't learned. It didn't take into account minors that smoke.

Compared with the statistics of the fifties, which probably were around 90% (or more) of men and 85% (or more) of women who smoked, the CDC's present-day numbers are relatively small.

Probably?

I don't consider 480K deaths per year related to diseases caused by smoking as relatively small.

I'll need to see some numbers supporting your claimed percentages. I did some checking and while I found that cigarette use has declined since the 1950s to what it is today, the highest percentage I can find, and it's based on Gallup polls, is 45% in the mid 1950s.

 

[Nia88]

Non-violent drug offenses should not land you in jail.

100% agreed. These people need rehab and not jail where they can still get their fix.

Who pays for the rehab?

The money that is spent to house these prisioners in jail could be spent on rehab.

 

[Conservative65]

Good. It's time we end the "War on Drugs" altogether.

The cartels would love that. They can move on to making hostage-taking a business.

Ending the drug war would get rid of the cartels, moron. It's the black market that allows them to thrive, just like Prohibition created Al Capone.

Yes. I'm sure the cartels will say, "Oh well, they ended the war on drugs. Time to find a legal job now that pays a fraction what we make now."

Those cartels, although they may go by a different name, will try to corner the legal drug market that would exist. While prohibition may have created Al Capone and those like him, Capone didn't go away after the 21st amendment overturned the 18th. People like him took over the control of the now legal action.

 

[Conservative65]

Non-violent drug offenses should not land you in jail.

100% agreed. These people need rehab and not jail where they can still get their fix.

Who pays for the rehab?

The money that is spent to house these prisioners in jail could be spent on rehab.

I prefer they be out of society. If they want to go to rehab and get cleaned up, if they're willing to pay for it themselves, I say give them that chance. It will prove they really want to stop their use and not just stay out of prison.

 

[Spare_change]

Non-violent drug offenses should not land you in jail.

Why not?

If you do the crime, you do the time.

 

[Fenton Lum]

Breaking story: He just commuted the prison sentences of 214 drug offenders. Many were in prison for crack cocaine. This story is alarming when you consider the level of lawlessness that is already on the streets of America.

.

Crack cocaine offenders had arbitrarily higher prison terms than cocaine users. Why? For no apparent reason.

The reason is very apparent to those of us who have an adequate knowledge of chemistry.

You're a chemist now?

• Criminal penalties for possession and sale of powder and crack cocaine are severe. Despite recent federal reforms of crack sentencing laws, much higher penalties still exist for possession and sale of crack, despite the fact that, pharmacologically, it is the same drug as cocaine. Possession of 28 grams of crack cocaine yields a five-year mandatory minimum sentence for a first offense; it takes 500 grams of powder cocaine to prompt the same sentence.

Cocaine and Crack Facts and Effects | Drug Policy Alliance

 

[Muhammed]

Breaking story: He just commuted the prison sentences of 214 drug offenders. Many were in prison for crack cocaine. This story is alarming when you consider the level of lawlessness that is already on the streets of America.

.

Crack cocaine offenders had arbitrarily higher prison terms than cocaine users. Why? For no apparent reason.

The reason is very apparent to those of us who have an adequate knowledge of chemistry.

Why not explain the reason (in layman terms) to the rest of us?

Cocaine hydrochloride (AKA powder cocaine) is a salt that is stable and water soluble. It is usually snorted in powder (solid) form and is absorbed relatively slowly via the mucous membranes in the nasal cavities, throat and mouth. And more rarely the vagina or anus.

You cannot smoke cocaine hydrochloride because the very low range of temperature which it will be volatile enough to vaporize. If you try to "smoke" it you will simply burn it.

When somebody puts a rock of crack in their crack pipe and fires it up, they are not actually burning it, they are vaporizing it and it enters the bloodstream via the huge surface area of lungs. Thus entering the bloodstream much faster than it would from snorting powdered cocaine hyrochloride.

The fastest way to deliver the drug is mainlining a solution of water and cocaine hydrochloride straight into a vein via a hypodermic syringe. Because of it's hydrophobic nature you cannot do that with crack cocaine.

However, the vast majority of people who experiment with recreational drugs, and even most coke addicts will not stick a needle in their arm. That's a line they will not cross.

And before you ask, yes, I used to be a cocaine addict.

 

[TooTall]

[...]

Are you saying the punishment should be the same for both crack and powder cocaine?

Why should there be punishment for the use of either substance? What constructive purpose has the practice of punishing recreational drug users served? Has it reduced availability of the substances? Has it reduced the number of users? Or has it simply replicated the negative effects brought about by the Prohibition of beverage alcohol?

How many of those pardoned by Obama were imprisoned for drug use and how many were there for selling illegal drugs? I can see the difference.

 

[Conservative65]

[...]

Are you saying the punishment should be the same for both crack and powder cocaine?

Why should there be punishment for the use of either substance? What constructive purpose has the practice of punishing recreational drug users served? Has it reduced availability of the substances? Has it reduced the number of users? Or has it simply replicated the negative effects brought about by the Prohibition of beverage alcohol?

How many of those pardoned by Obama were imprisoned for drug use and how many were there for selling illegal drugs? I can see the difference.

How many of those that were there for drug use were the carriers for the dealers?

 

[TooTall]

Are you saying the punishment should be the same for both crack and powder cocaine?

absolutely. is there any reason it shouldn't be?

Yes. The shameful waste and utter failure of the War on Drugs

[...]

Are you saying the punishment should be the same for both crack and powder cocaine?

Why should there be punishment for the use of either substance? What constructive purpose has the practice of punishing recreational drug users served? Has it reduced availability of the substances? Has it reduced the number of users? Or has it simply replicated the negative effects brought about by the Prohibition of beverage alcohol?

Oh, one of those legalize all drugs idiots.

What constructive purpose has the imprisoning of recreational drug users served? has it reduced availability of illegal drugs? Has it reduced the number of users? All it does is ruin a lot of lives and waste an enormous amount of tax dollars.

The drug war has been going on long enough to know it is a totally counterproductive fiasco, so don't you think it's time to abandon the obvious failure and to try another approach, such as an intensive public education effort? Nicotine is far more addictive than heroin and cigarette smoking has been reduced by much more than half in the past ten years -- without arresting anyone. It was achieved by a well designed public education program, which I can personally attest to.

I smoked cigarettes for 35 years. I managed to quit in 1985 having been motivated by intelligently crafted and persistent public education that told me, and showed me, why I should stop smoking and told me how to go about it.
Do you know Portugal has decriminalized all drugs and the effect on that society has been totally positive?

Portugal’s Example: What Happened After It Decriminalized All Drugs, From Weed to Heroin | VICE News[/QUOTE]

How many people are put in prison for recreational drug usage?

 

[charwin95]

I questioned whether or not it was a wise move to select 214 prisoners - the majority of which were in prison for crimes related to crack cocaine - to have their sentences commuted. Are you suggesting that no one is permitted to question the actions of President Obama?

You can question anyone you like.................. But the link is cherry picking............. Some of these inmates has been there for decades or 8 to 14 years for 40 pounds of marijuana or 10 pounds of cocaine........ Today penalties are from one to 6 years at most.

Had those that have been there for 8 - 14 years been sentenced today, they wouldn't be there but 1 - 6 years. When they were sentenced then, it was longer.

I wasn't aware that you had the information list on who the prisoners were and how long they had been there. Can you share that with us? Link and sources. I appreciate it. Thank you.

Conservative65, I'm not saying what you claim isn't possible - I just need for you to prove that you have some actual "evidence" - sources, links, .....to back up the claims you've just made. Thanks.

I was going on the statement made by Charwin. Charwin said some of the inmates had been there for 8 - 14 years for 40 lbs. or marijuana or 10 lbs. of cocaine but today's penalties would only be 1 - 6 years. My point was that when those there for 8 - 14 years were sentenced, that was the sentence and it was longer than perhaps what the sentence is today.

My statement had nothing to do with who they were or how long they'd been there but that at different time, sentences may be different than they were at other times.

Actually these are old news....... Like Richard Reser of Sedwick, Ka sentence to 40 years for fire arm possession and dealing methamphatamine in 1989. He will be freed Dec. 1/16.
Today with the same crime most you will get 5 years. Read a lot of these stories and one of my golf buddies is a criminal defense lawyer.

 

[Conservative65]

Are you saying the punishment should be the same for both crack and powder cocaine?

absolutely. is there any reason it shouldn't be?

Yes. The shameful waste and utter failure of the War on Drugs

[...]

Are you saying the punishment should be the same for both crack and powder cocaine?

Why should there be punishment for the use of either substance? What constructive purpose has the practice of punishing recreational drug users served? Has it reduced availability of the substances? Has it reduced the number of users? Or has it simply replicated the negative effects brought about by the Prohibition of beverage alcohol?

Oh, one of those legalize all drugs idiots.

What constructive purpose has the imprisoning of recreational drug users served? has it reduced availability of illegal drugs? Has it reduced the number of users? All it does is ruin a lot of lives and waste an enormous amount of tax dollars.

The drug war has been going on long enough to know it is a totally counterproductive fiasco, so don't you think it's time to abandon the obvious failure and to try another approach, such as an intensive public education effort? Nicotine is far more addictive than heroin and cigarette smoking has been reduced by much more than half in the past ten years -- without arresting anyone. It was achieved by a well designed public education program, which I can personally attest to.

I smoked cigarettes for 35 years. I managed to quit in 1985 having been motivated by intelligently crafted and persistent public education that told me, and showed me, why I should stop smoking and told me how to go about it.
Do you know Portugal has decriminalized all drugs and the effect on that society has been totally positive?

Portugal’s Example: What Happened After It Decriminalized All Drugs, From Weed to Heroin | VICE News

How many people are put in prison for recreational drug usage?[/QUOTE]

It gets their asses off the street so they can't convince others to do drugs.