Comments on: Drug Czar Walters: People in prison for marijuana are like “unicorns” http://stash.norml.org/drug-czar-walters-people-in-prison-for-marijuana-are-like-unicorns The Growing Truth About Cannabis Sun, 08 Nov 2009 00:18:46 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Barney Frank’s Plan to Legalize Marijuana | Lets Go Smoke Some Pot! | Marijuana Cannabis Hemp Weed 420 Legalize Smoke http://stash.norml.org/drug-czar-walters-people-in-prison-for-marijuana-are-like-unicorns/comment-page-1#comment-32469 Barney Frank’s Plan to Legalize Marijuana | Lets Go Smoke Some Pot! | Marijuana Cannabis Hemp Weed 420 Legalize Smoke Mon, 20 Jul 2009 14:00:14 +0000 http://stash.norml.org/?p=1597#comment-32469 [...] Possession of a single joint carries a penalty of $1,000 and a year in prison – a charge faced by about 800,000 American citizens every year. This is the government whose judgment on war and economics we are supposed to [...] [...] Possession of a single joint carries a penalty of $1,000 and a year in prison – a charge faced by about 800,000 American citizens every year. This is the government whose judgment on war and economics we are supposed to [...]

]]> By: Radical Russ http://stash.norml.org/drug-czar-walters-people-in-prison-for-marijuana-are-like-unicorns/comment-page-1#comment-31972 Radical Russ Fri, 17 Jul 2009 21:21:15 +0000 http://stash.norml.org/?p=1597#comment-31972 Also, you should note that's federal numbers, when most people incarcerated for marijuana are in state prisons and county jails. Also, you should note that’s federal numbers, when most people incarcerated for marijuana are in state prisons and county jails.

]]> By: Radical Russ http://stash.norml.org/drug-czar-walters-people-in-prison-for-marijuana-are-like-unicorns/comment-page-1#comment-31971 Radical Russ Fri, 17 Jul 2009 21:20:32 +0000 http://stash.norml.org/?p=1597#comment-31971 Sorry, it is a lie, unless 1.1% of all animals out there are unicorns. Approx. 40,000 people are in prison on marijuana charges alone, and that doesn't count the people who are back in prison on parole or probation violations for being caught smoking a joint. Also, understand that "drug dealers" is a catch-all term for anyone caught with "possession with intent to deliver", when that can mean a guy with his own stash separated into separate bags (could be different strains) or caught with postal scales, lots of baggies, or a legal registered firearm in the home. "Drug dealers" are also marijuana gardeners tending their own plants who are considered "manufacturers" and also fit into that "drug dealer" category. In fact, very few of the people who sell marijuana are what we'd think of as "drug dealers". Most sell only weed and occasionally shrooms, mostly to a tight community of friends and acquaintances. Very few are the "Tony Montana" powder-pushing, weapon-hording multimillionaire smugglers the term "drug dealer" evokes. Even if no simple marijuana possessors are in prison, so what? They are still arrested, and the "drug criminal" scarlet letter follows them throughout their lives, keeping them from the best jobs, housing, and education, and threatening their homes, child custody, visitation, security clearances, and reputation. If pot possessors are so little a threat that none are in prison, why are we bothering to arrest them? Sorry, it is a lie, unless 1.1% of all animals out there are unicorns. Approx. 40,000 people are in prison on marijuana charges alone, and that doesn’t count the people who are back in prison on parole or probation violations for being caught smoking a joint. Also, understand that “drug dealers” is a catch-all term for anyone caught with “possession with intent to deliver”, when that can mean a guy with his own stash separated into separate bags (could be different strains) or caught with postal scales, lots of baggies, or a legal registered firearm in the home. “Drug dealers” are also marijuana gardeners tending their own plants who are considered “manufacturers” and also fit into that “drug dealer” category.

In fact, very few of the people who sell marijuana are what we’d think of as “drug dealers”. Most sell only weed and occasionally shrooms, mostly to a tight community of friends and acquaintances. Very few are the “Tony Montana” powder-pushing, weapon-hording multimillionaire smugglers the term “drug dealer” evokes.

Even if no simple marijuana possessors are in prison, so what? They are still arrested, and the “drug criminal” scarlet letter follows them throughout their lives, keeping them from the best jobs, housing, and education, and threatening their homes, child custody, visitation, security clearances, and reputation. If pot possessors are so little a threat that none are in prison, why are we bothering to arrest them?

]]> By: Ryan http://stash.norml.org/drug-czar-walters-people-in-prison-for-marijuana-are-like-unicorns/comment-page-1#comment-31945 Ryan Fri, 17 Jul 2009 19:14:28 +0000 http://stash.norml.org/?p=1597#comment-31945 Actually he's not lying, necessarily, about this. If you look at the number of people actually prosecuted and put in jail, drug dealers vastly outnumber people in jail for simple possession. Check out the U.S Sentencing Commission report: http://www.albany.edu/sourcebook/pdf/t5392008.pdf People sentenced in Federal court for possession make up just 1.1 percent of all drug offenders. Actually he’s not lying, necessarily, about this. If you look at the number of people actually prosecuted and put in jail, drug dealers vastly outnumber people in jail for simple possession. Check out the U.S Sentencing Commission report:

http://www.albany.edu/sourcebook/pdf/t5392008.pdf

People sentenced in Federal court for possession make up just 1.1 percent of all drug offenders.

]]> By: Barney Frank’s plan to legalize marijuana!! YEAH! « My personal hiding spot http://stash.norml.org/drug-czar-walters-people-in-prison-for-marijuana-are-like-unicorns/comment-page-1#comment-31500 Barney Frank’s plan to legalize marijuana!! YEAH! « My personal hiding spot Wed, 15 Jul 2009 12:46:15 +0000 http://stash.norml.org/?p=1597#comment-31500 [...] Possession of a single joint carries a penalty of $1,000 and a year in prison – a charge faced by about 800,000 American citizens every year. This is the government whose judgment on war and economics we are supposed to [...] [...] Possession of a single joint carries a penalty of $1,000 and a year in prison – a charge faced by about 800,000 American citizens every year. This is the government whose judgment on war and economics we are supposed to [...]

]]> By: Esquire: He’s Not High - Inside Barney Frank’s Plan to Legalize Marijuana http://stash.norml.org/drug-czar-walters-people-in-prison-for-marijuana-are-like-unicorns/comment-page-1#comment-31069 Esquire: He’s Not High - Inside Barney Frank’s Plan to Legalize Marijuana Tue, 14 Jul 2009 21:34:16 +0000 http://stash.norml.org/?p=1597#comment-31069 [...] Possession of a single joint carries a penalty of $1,000 and a year in prison – a charge faced by about 800,000 American citizens every year. This is the government whose judgment on war and economics we are supposed to [...] [...] Possession of a single joint carries a penalty of $1,000 and a year in prison – a charge faced by about 800,000 American citizens every year. This is the government whose judgment on war and economics we are supposed to [...]

]]> By: A Revolution is at hand… - LeadLayer http://stash.norml.org/drug-czar-walters-people-in-prison-for-marijuana-are-like-unicorns/comment-page-1#comment-19501 A Revolution is at hand… - LeadLayer Sat, 09 May 2009 21:58:21 +0000 http://stash.norml.org/?p=1597#comment-19501 [...] is actually in jail for marijuana-related offenses. Ah yes, the “unicorn” theory. Never mind those 50,000 or state and federal inmates serving time for pot offenses the U.S. [...] [...] is actually in jail for marijuana-related offenses. Ah yes, the “unicorn” theory. Never mind those 50,000 or state and federal inmates serving time for pot offenses the U.S. [...]

]]> By: What Do You Know, The Ex-Drug Czar Is Still Full Of S—-t! : Greenkind Magazine http://stash.norml.org/drug-czar-walters-people-in-prison-for-marijuana-are-like-unicorns/comment-page-1#comment-19160 What Do You Know, The Ex-Drug Czar Is Still Full Of S—-t! : Greenkind Magazine Fri, 08 May 2009 11:20:10 +0000 http://stash.norml.org/?p=1597#comment-19160 [...] is actually in jail for marijuana-related offenses. Ah yes, the “unicorn” theory. Never mind those 50,000 or state and federal inmates serving time for pot offenses the U.S. [...] [...] is actually in jail for marijuana-related offenses. Ah yes, the “unicorn” theory. Never mind those 50,000 or state and federal inmates serving time for pot offenses the U.S. [...]

]]> By: Danny Hardesty http://stash.norml.org/drug-czar-walters-people-in-prison-for-marijuana-are-like-unicorns/comment-page-1#comment-1758 Danny Hardesty Tue, 16 Sep 2008 16:44:09 +0000 http://stash.norml.org/?p=1597#comment-1758 Decriminalization dos not pay the bills for the sectorially controlling lobby's and their constituents in The rural parts of the state of Arizona. the drug war is now two or three generations deep and predominantly controlled By the L.D.S.Church.We have no voice and haven't for a long time.They have circumvented Our laws and votes.What is a felony here is a petty crime elsewhere including lager city's in the same state.I know by personnel experience They have taken My activism as personal threat to there personal income and have dropped the hammer on Me and others.I don't know how they did it but they manged to keep My medical use out of My appeal. Decriminalization dos not pay the bills for the sectorially controlling lobby’s and their constituents in The rural parts of the state of Arizona. the drug war is now two or three generations deep and predominantly controlled By the L.D.S.Church.We have no voice and haven’t for a long time.They have circumvented Our laws and votes.What is a felony here is a petty crime elsewhere including lager city’s in the same state.I know by personnel experience They have taken My activism as personal threat to there personal income and have dropped the hammer on Me and others.I don’t know how they did it but they manged to keep My medical use out of My appeal.

]]> By: "Radical" Russ http://stash.norml.org/drug-czar-walters-people-in-prison-for-marijuana-are-like-unicorns/comment-page-1#comment-1743 "Radical" Russ Tue, 16 Sep 2008 05:45:11 +0000 http://stash.norml.org/?p=1597#comment-1743 No. <a href="http://blogs.salon.com/0002762/stories/2007/10/09/theDrugCzarIsRequiredByLaw.html" rel="nofollow">The Drug Czar is required by law to lie about marijuana.</a> Seriously. No. The Drug Czar is required by law to lie about marijuana. Seriously.

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