First of all, let me clarify that I avidly smoke weed and am all for legalization; I'm in no way trying to start an argument.

Anyway, I always hear people trying to justify the legalization of marijuana by claiming that there's so many people imprisoned for possession and about how all these normally peaceful, otherwise law-abiding citizens are locked up with violent criminals for nothing more than getting caught with some weed. But according to this pdf(http://tinyurl.com/55wau9), there was only 63 people in federal prison simply for possession. Is there some kind of spin they've put on this that I'm missing, or is this just irrefutable and the whole "locking up peaceful citizens" argument bogus?

EDIT: Go to page 16 of the link for those stats.

That's at the federal level, not the state or county level. But the point is not that these people are kept for years, but that they are being detained at all for something so benign. The point is how these people are forever harassed. They are put on house arrest, and probation, sometimes for extended periods of time. Forced to pay insane court costs, house arrest costs, probation fees, drug test fees, they are at the whim of the court.


The point is not that people are held in federal prisons, but that they are made prisoners in their own towns, and even in their own homes. Once you are in the system, that's it. They will do their god damndest to keep you in it. And they can demand all the money they want, and all the ridiculous bullshit they want, and you have to do it.


A friend was busted with mushrooms, and is now being drug tested. LOL FUCKING IDIOTS.

Well, according to what is cited, the numbers by percent of those in state prison are even lesser. I see your point about the harassment and everything though, I didn't really think about that.

Busted for 'shrooms and only drug tested? Here, any amount above 3.5g (fresh or dried fucking idiotic state does not know a difference) is considered a felony. He'd be lucky to get a couple years probation if hes got a clean record.

Busted for 'shrooms and only drug tested? Here, any amount above 3.5g (fresh or dried fucking idiotic state does not know a difference) is considered a felony. He'd be lucky to get a couple years probation if hes got a clean record.
I was pointing out the fallacy of a drug test for a drug that can't be tested for, and yes, he got more shit, it just wasn't pertinent to my comment.

730,000ppl imprisioned for non violent drug offenses.

not just weed tho, but all non violent possession.

I was pointing out the fallacy of a drug test for a drug that can't be tested for, and yes, he got more shit, it just wasn't pertinent to my comment.

Actually it can be tested for, it's just very rare for it to be if it ever is.
http://www.erowid.org/plants/mushrooms/mushrooms_testing.shtml

Well, according to what is cited, the numbers by percent of those in state prison are even lesser. I see your point about the harassment and everything though, I didn't really think about that.

Trust me there are quite a few people in county jails for possession charges. Also they tend to tack on "with intent" any time they can. If you include possession of drugs other than just cannabis then I would go so far as to say most of the people in county are there for possession charges either convicted or awaiting trail/bond.

Once you are in the system, that's it. They will do their god damndest to keep you in it. And they can demand all the money they want, and all the ridiculous bullshit they want, and you have to do it.

This^. Even if you didn't get into THAT much trouble, you still get fucked over. Because even if you don't go to jail, you could still be put on probation, get drug tested, house arrest like someone said, and all that shit. I don't know if it goes on your record when you get caught with a small amount of weed, but the whole process of going to court, probation, and all that is just ridiculous for something so unimportant.

But if you think about it, you're most likely always going to have people that minimize the situation with weed, or exaggerate it, so it's kind of hard to find unbiased information (at least as far as I've seen, except for a few sites/articles/etc.)