FBI study: Marijuana arrests stay near record high

[Garion_55]

Source: Salon.com

A new FBI study, based on the most recent national statistics from up to 2011, found that marijuana arrests have remained at an all-time high, with 749,824 arrests that year, the vast majority (87 percent) for no more than possession. A release from the nonprofit Marijuana Policy Project noted:

These results show that one person is arrested for marijuana possession every 48 seconds on average in the United States. A Pew Research Poll released in April reported that a majority of Americans think marijuana should be taxed and regulated in a manner similar to alcohol.

The work of exposing these huge numbers of possession arrests has only just begun, but the facts are startling. In New York City for over 15 years more people have been arrested for marijuana possession than for any other criminal charge whatsoever. One arrest in eight is for simple possession of a small amount of marijuana. That general pattern is true for many other cities and counties.

Read more: http://www.salon.com/2013/09/16/fbi_study_marijuana_arrests_stay_near_record_high/singleton/

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END the fucking madness already!!!!

God must be baffled why we are punishing humans for a plant that He put down here for us to use.

[Jackpine Radical]

1. The mark of a lunatic culture,

focused on all the wrong stuff.

How 'bout we attend to feeding, housing & providing healthcare for everyone instead of being desperately afraid that they've smoked something that makes their anxiety, pain and depression go away?

[BlueJac]

2. Just quit it!!!!!

They just don't get it, but tobacco is widely used. One can help the other just KILLS.

[Skittles]

3. it's become yet another money racket

most of them don't go to jail but they pay up, right?

[kestrel91316]

4. They go to jail and the taxpayers fork over billions every year for the privilege of

seeing them in there.

[Skittles]

5. right, they get more that way than from fines

in the meantime, we quake in fear that pot smokers might.........oh wait, we don't

[christx30]

17. I ran into a crazed pot smoker at a party last weekend.

Took me 3 hours to get 'Rocky Raccoon' out of my head.

[Skittles]

18. SCHEDULING CHRISTX30 FOR ASS KICKING

NOW *I* CANNOT GET ROCKY RACCOON OUT OF MY HEAD

[Spitfire of ATJ]

11. It's a constant cycle of ruining lives....

For those who don't think a weed arrest is a big deal on your record, think about someone living paycheck to paycheck suddenly losing their job and their apartment and maybe everything they own just because they spent time away. Judges aren't giving people two weeks you know. Even 30 days can ruin a life.

[maxsolomon]

6. Next year, WA & CO will lead 'Merica into the light

The drug war will fall apart quickly.

I pray.

[AtheistCrusader]

7. Headline title irony overload.

[Earth_First]

8. At what cost, man?!

At what cost to the taxpayers...?

[Earth_First]

9. Answer: A LOT

$75 million to New York taxpayers alone

http://www.drugpolicy.org/docUploads/_75_Million_A_Year.pdf

$40 billion to taxpayers nationally

http://norml.org/news/2007/10/04/pot-prohibition-costs-taxpayers-more-than-40-billion-per-year-study-says

[Quantess]

10. That is f'd up.

I hate smoking weed myself. I think the marijuana high sucks. But it is stupid to keep on criminalizing it like this.

[madrchsod]

12. chicago "legalized" small amounts of grass..

first time less than an ounce is a fine. they figured out the costs of this first time penalty and discovered it cost more to prosecute than the amount of the fines they recover. many do`t bother to show up,some go to court and plead for more time,and some actually pay.

[someone else]

13. Yes, stop the madness

Laws don't stop anybody from using MJ and legalization won't create a nation of zombies, but the WOD takes away everbody's rights and just fills prisons. It's pure bullshit!

[tabasco]

14. Police state / prison industry / "War" on some drugs / INSANITY

[blkmusclmachine]

15. Number of arrests of people who destroed our economy: 0

Savvy!

[lonestarnot]

16. All while richie rich just keeps get'n richer.