https://theintercept.com/2018/01/25/...d-drug-arrest/
Something about this seems off. How can legalizing possession for personal consumption not lead to a reduction in arrests for low-level possession among non-whites?
Different tokes for different folks
https://theintercept.com/2018/01/25/...d-drug-arrest/
Something about this seems off. How can legalizing possession for personal consumption not lead to a reduction in arrests for low-level possession among non-whites?
"One day, we shall die. All the other days, we shall live."
It's a stupid backwards hodgepodge to quasi legalise something for low level consumption. If someone is going to legally consume something then they need to be able to legally purchase it. If someone is going to legally purchase it, someone needs to legally distribute it. If someone is going to legally distribute it, someone needs to legally cultivate it.
Either it's legal or not. Which is it?
Originally Posted by Ominous Gamer
It's perfectly possible to be neither legal nor illegal, just look at the DutchBut yes, it is 'odd' that decriminalization leads to increased arrest.
Keep on keepin' the beat alive!
Yes but the Dutch have effectively legalised it but without saying so officially. I mean your coffee shops aren't exactly discrete. Nor are they carrying low levels of possession.
It's not actually entirely surprising that this has happened after I thought about it. If the cops are still targetting illegal supply and distribution while ignoring those who were just carrying a small amount then that could result in as much pressure or more on those carrying lots.
If the states to have legalised it are those where the cops were already letting slide low level figures then effectively nothings changed. As seen in the figures
The solution is to do it properly. Legalise it 100% including legitimate legalised distribution and cultivation channels. Legalise it for low, medium, high or any other level of possession.
No we have not. Coffeeshops are regularly closed and/or prosecuted for having too much in supply, and growing is illegal. Which is indeed messed up and should be changed.
That said coffeeshops owners are also more and more often acquitted or convicted without sentencing because the judges recognise that in practice it's legal and the current situation makes no sense.
By the way if they're targeting people carrying lots surely they'd be charged with more than simple possession.
Keep on keepin' the beat alive!
It's the new charge when you want to arrest someone for WWB/DWB. You'll note it doesn't say "convicted."
Last night as I lay in bed, looking up at the stars, I thought, “Where the hell is my ceiling?"
Indeed it does make me wonder the definition of the term "simple possession" and what that legally means.
If carrying small amounts has been legalised then simple possession should no longer be a crime, unless that isn't what that means.
Its similar to how the US treats open container laws.
96% of pot arrests in NY in 2016 were for displaying or consuming. Its the culture of lower income communities to not hole up inside, and you can't exactly smoke pot in a brown paper bag, so this is what we end up with.
"In a field where an overlooked bug could cost millions, you want people who will speak their minds, even if they’re sometimes obnoxious about it."
Yeah American brown paper bag laws are bloody weird.
Ditto. African Americans get stopped by the police more frequently. At least some of those interactions involve racist cops, cops who need to fill a quota, or an aggressive response from the person being stopped. In the absence of other crimes, they get busted for this.
Last edited by Loki; 01-27-2018 at 02:09 AM.
Hope is the denial of reality
Additionally, if the cop does a stop and frisk and empties the pockets of the person carrying weed, then they are guilty of publicly displaying it by virtue of the cop seeing it. It's an absolutely bizarre and nonsensical system where two independent legal actions, (possessing small quantities of weed and following police orders) somehow become illegal. Cops can and do use this as a cover.
That's incredibly dumb and shouldn't be the law.
That's like saying that in a state like Florida where "concealed carry" for firearms is permitted but "open carry" is not that anyone following Police orders could be arrested because they're openly carrying as soon as the cops frisk them.
If the cop sees something that wasn't in plain sight when the person was stopped then it wasn't displayed. If its illegal to conceal and carry that then fair enough to prosecute but you can't prosecute them for showing it to the cops on their orders. A court should strike that down
"One day, we shall die. All the other days, we shall live."
Disgusting if true. Glad she's been offered compensation though it seems like she could get even more.
Open container laws in vehicles bother me a lot. I don't drink but if my passenger wants to, they can't? What the fuck.
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