Obama should pardon all that are serving time for smoking a leaf

[Rocko]

Its a felony in Florida, to possess more than 3/4's of an ounce, with 5 years imprisonment as the Sentence and $5000 fine, I just looked it up....

so people are imprisoned for Possession....of less than an ounce in some States....

Just for having paraphernalia in Florida, it is a 1 year prison sentence, $1000 fine....and they lose their driver's license for 6 months

Holy crud, those are hefty sentences for just paraphernalia, and possession of less than an ounce a Felony, taking away your right to vote, no longer can get a good or even halfway decent job because of your felony.....

Gawd almighty, the money Florida must spend incarcerating people for basically nothing is incredible....
http://norml.org/pdf_files/state_penalties/NORML_FL_State_Penalties.pdf

and the way it varies by State is incredible!

Live in my state and it is a slap on the wrist for an ounce or two in possession, not even a misdemeanor here, yet in Florida for less than an ounce, it is a felony....holy crud!

Again, those are the maximum sentencing guidelines. No one gets sentenced to 1 year for having drug paraphernalia.

then WHY is the law written the way it is, if NO ONE goes to jail? Isn't that wrong?

Florida must use this law to blackmail them to settle and pay up with fines....?

Maybe you have a point, but the fact is that less than one percent of the 20k people in prison for solely a Marijuana offense are being locked up for just possession.

 

[Care4all]

Its a felony in Florida, to possess more than 3/4's of an ounce, with 5 years imprisonment as the Sentence and $5000 fine, I just looked it up....

so people are imprisoned for Possession....of less than an ounce in some States....

Just for having paraphernalia in Florida, it is a 1 year prison sentence, $1000 fine....and they lose their driver's license for 6 months

Holy crud, those are hefty sentences for just paraphernalia, and possession of less than an ounce a Felony, taking away your right to vote, no longer can get a good or even halfway decent job because of your felony.....

Gawd almighty, the money Florida must spend incarcerating people for basically nothing is incredible....
http://norml.org/pdf_files/state_penalties/NORML_FL_State_Penalties.pdf

and the way it varies by State is incredible!

Live in my state and it is a slap on the wrist for an ounce or two in possession, not even a misdemeanor here, yet in Florida for less than an ounce, it is a felony....holy crud!

Again, those are the maximum sentencing guidelines. No one gets sentenced to 1 year for having drug paraphernalia.

lookie here, Florida passed a law that ALL PRISONERS must spend at least 85% of their sentence in jail....

Inmates will serve a Minimum of 85%

• Those sentenced to prison in Florida who committed their crimes on or after October 1, 1995 will serve a minimum of 85% of their sentences. This applies to all inmates, regardless of the type of crime they committed. The vast majority of inmates in prison have been sentenced under the 85% law. Of the 8,104 inmates released from October 1, 2013 through December 31, 2013, 7,967 or 98.3% were sentenced under the 85% law, and 137 (1.7%) were not. This 98.3% represents only those inmates who have every component of their sentence covered by the 85% law.

the average sentence for possession in Florida is 36 months, so a minimum of 2 1/2 years are spent in prison for possession.

Sample Sentences and Estimated Time Served
Offense Sentence Minimum Time
They Will Serve*
Murder Life - Life in Prison
Sexual Assault -15 years, serve 12.8 years
Burglary- 10 years, serve 8.5 years
Drug Possession- 3 years, serve 2.6 years
*Minus any county jail time already served.

Doing Time in Florida Prisons


I'm thinking Florida must have such strong drug laws because it is an entry gateway for the drugs?

 

[Rocko]

Its a felony in Florida, to possess more than 3/4's of an ounce, with 5 years imprisonment as the Sentence and $5000 fine, I just looked it up....

so people are imprisoned for Possession....of less than an ounce in some States....

Just for having paraphernalia in Florida, it is a 1 year prison sentence, $1000 fine....and they lose their driver's license for 6 months

Holy crud, those are hefty sentences for just paraphernalia, and possession of less than an ounce a Felony, taking away your right to vote, no longer can get a good or even halfway decent job because of your felony.....

Gawd almighty, the money Florida must spend incarcerating people for basically nothing is incredible....
http://norml.org/pdf_files/state_penalties/NORML_FL_State_Penalties.pdf

and the way it varies by State is incredible!

Live in my state and it is a slap on the wrist for an ounce or two in possession, not even a misdemeanor here, yet in Florida for less than an ounce, it is a felony....holy crud!

Again, those are the maximum sentencing guidelines. No one gets sentenced to 1 year for having drug paraphernalia.

lookie here, Florida passed a law that ALL PRISONERS must spend at least 85% of their sentence in jail....

Inmates will serve a Minimum of 85%

• Those sentenced to prison in Florida who committed their crimes on or after October 1, 1995 will serve a minimum of 85% of their sentences. This applies to all inmates, regardless of the type of crime they committed. The vast majority of inmates in prison have been sentenced under the 85% law. Of the 8,104 inmates released from October 1, 2013 through December 31, 2013, 7,967 or 98.3% were sentenced under the 85% law, and 137 (1.7%) were not. This 98.3% represents only those inmates who have every component of their sentence covered by the 85% law.

the average sentence for possession in Florida is 36 months, so a minimum of 2 1/2 years are spent in prison for possession.

Sample Sentences and Estimated Time Served
Offense Sentence Minimum Time
They Will Serve*
Murder Life - Life in Prison
Sexual Assault -15 years, serve 12.8 years
Burglary- 10 years, serve 8.5 years
Drug Possession- 3 years, serve 2.6 years
*Minus any county jail time already served.

Doing Time in Florida Prisons


I'm thinking Florida must have such strong drug laws because it is an entry gateway for the drugs?

That is not believable at all. There is no way the average sentence for drug possession is 2 and 1/2 years.

 

[SwimExpert]

Sure, no reason to jail people who buy the products of terrorist drug cartels and keep the violent assholes in business. LMAO

So, first make it illegal, because Jesus.
Then make, keep it illegal because the people who sell it are criminals.

Yeah, that's not circular reasoning at all.

 

[SwimExpert]

You are correct Timmy, according to the department of Justice report from several years ago possession did not land you in prison, intent to distribute, and sell did, however, with minor time spent, or sentences waived. In fact states released "minor crime" as defined by hemp related during the period of overcrowding. Now selling, smuggling, transporting, cocaine, heroin, crack.... are different stories.

Quite right. The OP fails to realize that by and large, incarcerations for possession arise from state prosecution, not federal prosecution. Ironically, the OP's failure supports his contention that education needs better funding.

 

[Care4all]

Its a felony in Florida, to possess more than 3/4's of an ounce, with 5 years imprisonment as the Sentence and $5000 fine, I just looked it up....

so people are imprisoned for Possession....of less than an ounce in some States....

Just for having paraphernalia in Florida, it is a 1 year prison sentence, $1000 fine....and they lose their driver's license for 6 months

Holy crud, those are hefty sentences for just paraphernalia, and possession of less than an ounce a Felony, taking away your right to vote, no longer can get a good or even halfway decent job because of your felony.....

Gawd almighty, the money Florida must spend incarcerating people for basically nothing is incredible....
http://norml.org/pdf_files/state_penalties/NORML_FL_State_Penalties.pdf

and the way it varies by State is incredible!

Live in my state and it is a slap on the wrist for an ounce or two in possession, not even a misdemeanor here, yet in Florida for less than an ounce, it is a felony....holy crud!

Again, those are the maximum sentencing guidelines. No one gets sentenced to 1 year for having drug paraphernalia.

lookie here, Florida passed a law that ALL PRISONERS must spend at least 85% of their sentence in jail....

Inmates will serve a Minimum of 85%

• Those sentenced to prison in Florida who committed their crimes on or after October 1, 1995 will serve a minimum of 85% of their sentences. This applies to all inmates, regardless of the type of crime they committed. The vast majority of inmates in prison have been sentenced under the 85% law. Of the 8,104 inmates released from October 1, 2013 through December 31, 2013, 7,967 or 98.3% were sentenced under the 85% law, and 137 (1.7%) were not. This 98.3% represents only those inmates who have every component of their sentence covered by the 85% law.

the average sentence for possession in Florida is 36 months, so a minimum of 2 1/2 years are spent in prison for possession.

Sample Sentences and Estimated Time Served
Offense Sentence Minimum Time
They Will Serve*
Murder Life - Life in Prison
Sexual Assault -15 years, serve 12.8 years
Burglary- 10 years, serve 8.5 years
Drug Possession- 3 years, serve 2.6 years
*Minus any county jail time already served.

Doing Time in Florida Prisons


I'm thinking Florida must have such strong drug laws because it is an entry gateway for the drugs?

That is not believable at all. There is no way the average sentence for drug possession is 2 and 1/2 years.

actually, I think it said 3 years was the typical sentence and 2 1/2 years was 85% of that?

I wouldn't rule it out....it could be that people without money don't have good lawyers to get them off, thus they serve the sentence, or they don't have money for fines?

I will continue to google though, to see what more I can find out...

 

[OKTexas]

Obama should pardon all that are serving time for smoking a leaf...Yep, he should blanket pardon every person that was wrongly imprisoned because of our stupid laws against smoking pot.

He should then spend the rest of his presidency to get it legalized federally.

Sure, no reason to jail people who buy the products of terrorist drug cartels and keep the violent assholes in business. LMAO

Who kept the bootleggers in business? The supporters of the Prohibition, that's who. And people like you are the ones keeping the profits from pot flowing into the coffers of the drug cartels.

No, if I could make the rules I would put an end to it, politicians don't have have the balls so they pass ineffective half measures. Pot is a proven gateway drug and the stuff on the street now is way more potent than the past.

Pot is like guns, both are ubiquitous and the flow is impossible to stop. People so inclined are going to get it anyway. Is it a proven gate way drug? I am not convinced it is. Look at the Netherlands and tell me that their long history of legalized marijuana has had deleterious effects on the general populace. I haven't seen any proof at all of that!

People so inclined wouldn't get it if they knew it could kill them, that's what I would make happen with all illegal drugs.

Yale study: Marijuana may really be gateway drug

The study found that, among both men and women, those who had used marijuana were 2.5 times more likely than those their age who abstained to later dabble in prescription drugs. Also, young men who drank alcohol or smoked cigarettes were 25 percent more likely to abuse prescription opioids. However, the study didn't show an association between alcohol or cigarette use in young women and later use of prescription drugs.

Yale study: Marijuana may really be gateway drug

 

[OKTexas]

Sure, no reason to jail people who buy the products of terrorist drug cartels and keep the violent assholes in business. LMAO

You didn't read the last sentence of Matthew's post did you? If MJ is legalized the drug cartels would be out of business. Criminalizing marijuana is keeping drug cartels in business....THINK!

Keep thinking that, black market marijuana in states where it's legal is still a big business, people don't want to pay the taxes.

Is Black Market Marijuana Winning in Colorado?

According to an original report by Travelers Today, a travel website dabbling in offbeat news and pseudo journalism, much of Colorado’s stoner society, specifically college students, have continued to purchase marijuana from the black market due to the overall cost involved in obtaining a legal buzz.

Is Black Market Marijuana Winning in Colorado?

Can't people grow their own? Perhaps Co-op marijuana farms are the way to go for MJ fans.

Right now most States and the feds have laws against it.

Understood! Two states have made possession legal , about ten more have de-criminalized marijuana use/ small possession and the rest are Draconian on the matter.

Actually 3 made possession of small quantities legal, AK, WA and CO, DC tried it but congress stepped in.

 

[OKTexas]

Sure, no reason to jail people who buy the products of terrorist drug cartels and keep the violent assholes in business. LMAO

So, first make it illegal, because Jesus.
Then make, keep it illegal because the people who sell it are criminals.

Yeah, that's not circular reasoning at all.

Right, criminals who kill thousand every year, just nice entrepreneurs right? Kind of like undocumented pharmacist who kill the competition.

 

[kaz]

Obama should pardon all that are serving time for smoking a leaf...Yep, he should blanket pardon every person that was wrongly imprisoned because of our stupid laws against smoking pot.

He should then spend the rest of his presidency to get it legalized federally.

Sure, no reason to jail people who buy the products of terrorist drug cartels and keep the violent assholes in business. LMAO

You keep them in business by keeping drugs illegal. You'd have thought socons would have learned from alcohol funding organized crime. You haven't

 

[kaz]

Sure, no reason to jail people who buy the products of terrorist drug cartels and keep the violent assholes in business. LMAO

So, first make it illegal, because Jesus.
Then make, keep it illegal because the people who sell it are criminals.

Yeah, that's not circular reasoning at all.

Right, criminals who kill thousand every year, just nice entrepreneurs right? Kind of like undocumented pharmacist who kill the competition.

So put them out of business by legalizing it

 

[OKTexas]

Obama should pardon all that are serving time for smoking a leaf...Yep, he should blanket pardon every person that was wrongly imprisoned because of our stupid laws against smoking pot.

He should then spend the rest of his presidency to get it legalized federally.

Sure, no reason to jail people who buy the products of terrorist drug cartels and keep the violent assholes in business. LMAO

You keep them in business by keeping drugs illegal. You'd have thought socons would have learned from alcohol funding organized crime. You haven't

You really should read the complete thread, before commenting, keep reading.

 

[OKTexas]

Sure, no reason to jail people who buy the products of terrorist drug cartels and keep the violent assholes in business. LMAO

So, first make it illegal, because Jesus.
Then make, keep it illegal because the people who sell it are criminals.

Yeah, that's not circular reasoning at all.

Right, criminals who kill thousand every year, just nice entrepreneurs right? Kind of like undocumented pharmacist who kill the competition.

So put them out of business by legalizing it

Hasn't done it where it's been legalized, black market sales are a brisk as ever, people don't want to pay the tax.

 

[SwimExpert]

Sure, no reason to jail people who buy the products of terrorist drug cartels and keep the violent assholes in business. LMAO

So, first make it illegal, because Jesus.
Then make, keep it illegal because the people who sell it are criminals.

Yeah, that's not circular reasoning at all.

Right, criminals who kill thousand every year, just nice entrepreneurs right? Kind of like undocumented pharmacist who kill the competition.

Erm, you really are dense. That drugs are distributed by brutally violent criminal cartels is the fault of those who wanted to make them illegal. Criminalization pushed the market into the hands of violent criminals. The billions of dollars involved promotes continued and increased violence by those criminal elements, who resort to violence as a matter of their nature.

It's no different than what happened with alcohol prohibition. Alcohol was pushed into the domain of criminals, and the result was the rise of violent thugs like Al Capone. Under your way of thinking, alcohol should have remained illegal because those consuming it were buying the product of a terrorist booze cartel and keeping the violent assholes in business, therefore they deserved incarceration.

 

[kaz]

Its a felony in Florida, to possess more than 3/4's of an ounce, with 5 years imprisonment as the Sentence and $5000 fine, I just looked it up....

so people are imprisoned for Possession....of less than an ounce in some States....

Just for having paraphernalia in Florida, it is a 1 year prison sentence, $1000 fine....and they lose their driver's license for 6 months

Holy crud, those are hefty sentences for just paraphernalia, and possession of less than an ounce a Felony, taking away your right to vote, no longer can get a good or even halfway decent job because of your felony.....

Gawd almighty, the money Florida must spend incarcerating people for basically nothing is incredible....
http://norml.org/pdf_files/state_penalties/NORML_FL_State_Penalties.pdf

and the way it varies by State is incredible!

Live in my state and it is a slap on the wrist for an ounce or two in possession, not even a misdemeanor here, yet in Florida for less than an ounce, it is a felony....holy crud!

Again, those are the maximum sentencing guidelines. No one gets sentenced to 1 year for having drug paraphernalia.

then WHY is the law written the way it is, if NO ONE goes to jail? Isn't that wrong?

Florida must use this law to blackmail them to settle and pay up with fines....?

Maybe you have a point, but the fact is that less than one percent of the 20k people in prison for solely a Marijuana offense are being locked up for just possession.

That's not true. Even low volumes can get them charged with intent to distribute when they aren't dealers and those stats don't show them as just users

 

[SwimExpert]

Hasn't done it where it's been legalized, black market sales are a brisk as ever, people don't want to pay the tax.

Black market sales of alcohol still occur, all these decades after the repeal of prohibition. That will never change. What has changed is that moonshiners are not violent organized gangs anymore. They are peaceful backwoods folk just grinding out three squares and a roof over their heads.

 

[kaz]

Sure, no reason to jail people who buy the products of terrorist drug cartels and keep the violent assholes in business. LMAO

So, first make it illegal, because Jesus.
Then make, keep it illegal because the people who sell it are criminals.

Yeah, that's not circular reasoning at all.

Right, criminals who kill thousand every year, just nice entrepreneurs right? Kind of like undocumented pharmacist who kill the competition.

So put them out of business by legalizing it

Hasn't done it where it's been legalized, black market sales are a brisk as ever, people don't want to pay the tax.

Punitive tax rates are just another form of making them illegal

 

[OKTexas]

Sure, no reason to jail people who buy the products of terrorist drug cartels and keep the violent assholes in business. LMAO

So, first make it illegal, because Jesus.
Then make, keep it illegal because the people who sell it are criminals.

Yeah, that's not circular reasoning at all.

Right, criminals who kill thousand every year, just nice entrepreneurs right? Kind of like undocumented pharmacist who kill the competition.

Erm, you really are dense. That drugs are distributed by brutally violent criminal cartels is the fault of those who wanted to make them illegal. Criminalization pushed the market into the hands of violent criminals. The billions of dollars involved promotes continued and increased violence by those criminal elements, who resort to violence as a matter of their nature.

It's no different than what happened with alcohol prohibition. Alcohol was pushed into the domain of criminals, and the result was the rise of violent thugs like Al Capone. Under your way of thinking, alcohol should have remained illegal because those consuming it were buying the product of a terrorist booze cartel and keeping the violent assholes in business, therefore they deserved incarceration.

Ok, so come on out and say it, your lame arguments about marijuana are a smoke screen for legalizing ALL drugs.

 

[OKTexas]

Sure, no reason to jail people who buy the products of terrorist drug cartels and keep the violent assholes in business. LMAO

So, first make it illegal, because Jesus.
Then make, keep it illegal because the people who sell it are criminals.

Yeah, that's not circular reasoning at all.

Right, criminals who kill thousand every year, just nice entrepreneurs right? Kind of like undocumented pharmacist who kill the competition.

So put them out of business by legalizing it

Hasn't done it where it's been legalized, black market sales are a brisk as ever, people don't want to pay the tax.

Punitive tax rates are just another form of making them illegal

Like alcohol tax?

 

[SwimExpert]

Ok, so come on out and say it, your lame arguments about marijuana are a smoke screen for legalizing ALL drugs.

If individual liberty is what you call a "smoke screen" then maybe America isn't the right country for you. Perhaps you'd like Iran better.

Personally, I'm fine with all drugs being legalized. In fact, I'd like the government to provide free meth and heroin, in unlimited quantities, to anyone who wants them. Let all the losers OD already and kill themselves. It'll be cheaper than letting them live for another 10 years and such the government teat in the meantime.