How obsessed with marijuana is this country? Consider the details in a recent SF Chronicle article reporting on a recent study of civil penalties triggered by marijuana conducted by the Center for Cognitive Liberty and Ethics.
Highlights.
“Smoke a joint in Alabama or Oregon, and you can permanently lose the right to adopt a child. Smoke one in Oklahoma, and you're ineligible ever to be a foster parent. Light up in Utah, and get a lifelong eviction notice from public housing.
“Grow a marijuana plant in any one of a dozen states, including California, and you're permanently barred from receiving welfare or food stamps.
“Those laws and others are detailed in the first nationwide study of the consequences of marijuana convictions, in areas ranging from family life to voting and jury service. Researchers headed by a Northern California lawyer said they had found a hodgepodge of state and federal restrictions that seemed to conflict with the overall trend of reduced criminal penalties for pot.”
Other findings included:
-- Possession of marijuana can result in ineligibility to become an adoptive parent in 38 states, and a lifetime ban in seven states. California is not among them.
Twenty states, though not California, allow their agencies to deny professional and occupational licenses to anyone convicted of a marijuana-related misdemeanor, regardless of whether it had any connection to the person's work.
-- Most states make people with any marijuana conviction ineligible for publicly subsidized housing for a certain period, usually at least three years. California is one of only four states with no such restriction. A separate federal law allows public housing tenants to be evicted for any drug-related activity, on or off the premises, by any resident or guest.
-- A 1998 law bars federal grants and loans to any student with a drug conviction. In addition, 28 states, though not California, withhold state financial aid from students with drug convictions, including marijuana possession.
-- In 21 states and the District of Columbia, a conviction for marijuana possession can result in a driver's license suspension for at least six months. California is not among them, but the state suspends a driver's license for up to three years for driving under the influence of drugs or committing a drug crime that involved a motor vehicle. Minors convicted of any drug crime in California lose their license for at least a year.
-- In six states, people convicted of marijuana cultivation and other felonies can be banned from voting for life. In 23 states, including California, and the District of Columbia, drug felons are barred from jury service for life.
If the time and money that's used dreaming up propaganda campaigns and persecuting individuals who are part of the MAJORITY in this nation was spent alleviating the national debt, there would be a lot less crime, happier people,and half of the city jail populations would be released.
ReplyDeleteOn the down side, the select 1% of the country would no longer be in control and the free meal ticket that is sustained by the oppression of honest, hard working citizens and immigrants would be revoked.
Why must we continue to live in the dark ages and adhere to laws that protect no one. I'm tired of being lied to and told that something which posseses so many positive attributes is bad, I've had more than a couple of medical professionals tell me that cannibis is the best solution for Bipolar Disorder, but the country I served and put my life on the line for would prefer that I suffer. They are ALL tyrants and we are the fools who allow them to be so.
You are too right. The sad part about it, is that most of america enjoy's the occasional marijuana joint. If by their statistics most americans dis-approve of marijuana, then why not have a vote? I will tell you why. The pompous, arrogant a-holes in our government would like nothing else than to continue depriving us of our "little pleasures", in accordance to their own agenda(s). Why legalize something they really can't tax. Luckily for us so called "stoners", Americans are finally starting to see through their "what can sometimes be called war on drugs", which in most instances is simply fear of losing ultimate control. The U.S. of america would be so much better off if our coutry was returned to us: It's people.
ReplyDeleteA wise man once told me. "If ever the system broke down, we would simply have to repair it". Thomas Keyht. And I believe what he meant was this. If we the people of america ever could bring ourselves to destroy that which 200 years of suffering and loss were needed to create a "free" society, then and only then may we free ourselves from the bindings of this so called free dictatorship. We would be free to rebuild for the people again, for our coutry no longer belongs to us. It belongs to the elitists and political scoundrel's. Brian
You are too right. The sad part about it, is that most of america enjoy's the occasional marijuana joint. If by their statistics most americans dis-approve of marijuana, then why not have a vote? I will tell you why. The pompous, arrogant a-holes in our government would like nothing else than to continue depriving us of our "little pleasures", in accordance to their own agenda(s). Why legalize something they really can't tax. Luckily for us so called "stoners", Americans are finally starting to see through their "what can sometimes be called war on drugs", which in most instances is simply fear of losing ultimate control. The U.S. of america would be so much better off if our coutry was returned to us: It's people.
ReplyDeleteA wise man once told me. "If ever the system broke down, we would simply have to repair it". Thomas Keyht. And I believe what he meant was this. If we the people of america ever could bring ourselves to destroy that which 200 years of suffering and loss were needed to create a "free" society, then and only then may we free ourselves from the bindings of this so called free dictatorship. We would be free to rebuild for the people again, for our coutry no longer belongs to us. It belongs to the elitists and political scoundrel's. Brian
Sorry for the double post.
ReplyDeleteI'm tired of being lied to and told that something which posseses so many positive attributes is bad, I've had more than a couple of medical professionals tell me that cannibis is the best solution for Bipolar Disorder, but the country I served and put my life on the line for would prefer that I suffer.
ReplyDelete===================================
peter
california dui
I am from Amsterdam and i think America should legalize too..
ReplyDeleteAll that alcohol is much worse then marijuana