Overwhelming majority think marijuana should be decriminalized

[RainDog]

That's the conclusion from a poll by Reason-Rupe concerning public opinion about the way cannabis users should be treated by our justice and law enforcement system.

http://blog.norml.org/2013/05/17/poll-essentially-no-one-believes-marijuana-users-should-go-to-jail/

When asked which approach they thought the government and law enforcement should take toward someone found smoking marijuana or in possession of a small amount of marijuana, only 6% responded that they should be sent to jail. 35% of respondents said that these individuals shouldn’t be punished at all, 32% responded they should pay a fine, and 20% said they should have to attended substance abuse courses.

From the available options, the greatest number of poll participants thought there should be no punishment at all, while the second greatest number thought people should pay a fine (which is the way marijuana is treated when decriminalized.)

The good news is that only 6% of the American population is totally fucking stupid and thinks cannabis should result in jail time.

Happy Friday, all!

[woo me with science]

1. Unfortunately, that fact would only be relevant in a country

with a representative system of government.

[RainDog]

4. seems the tipping point is here

just waiting for the fall of the federal prohibition wall.

[Bay Boy]

2. That's not a good idea...

....it would empty the jails and prisons. What would we do with those empty cells, put violent criminals in them?

[bluedigger]

3. Well, there's always financial fraud.

Oh, wait, what am I thinking?

[enough]

5. In our local newsrag, whenever there's a marijuana bust (for growing),

the comments are always 100% against the laws and against the cops wasting their time on arresting people for pot. This is the one issue on which there is unanimous opinion. All other issues are very hotly argued, with the majority leaning far right.

This is SE PA.

[RainDog]

6. Yeah. I see that all the time, too

The only people who want to keep prohibition in the works are law enforcement agencies, the DEA, the alcoholic bev industry and military contractors - and the only reason is because of $$.

anyone who wants to argue against legalization these days has to pull "facts" out of their behinds.

[enough]

7. It just drives me crazy that the Obama admin seems to be completely on the wrong side of this.

What is he thinking? I understand that he can't re-write all the laws, but why such an emphatic posture in the wrong direction. I'm sick of it.