Marijuana is less harmful than alcohol but I still don't support the action. Lesser punishment for possession of a small amount of marijuana is a reinforcement.
I have to agree with Giny. If small amounts of Marijuana are punished less severely than larger amounts problems will arise because the definition of a small amount will be called into question: How small is too small. I believe that if the drug is harmful enough to be banned, the amount it takes to harm the person should not be questioned. One punishment for possesion of an illegal substaance is simple enough, lets not complicate it.
Thanks for the link. I have to say, I'm puzzled by the comments here. I think any reduction in the punishment for marijuana possession is a good thing.
With Question 2 in Mass, possession of an ounce or less will be a civil rather than criminal penalty ... meaning, you'd get a ticket, like for speeding. No criminal record, no court proceedings, etc.
Also, in Massachusetts, simply getting arrested enters you into the "Criminal Offender Record Information" (or CORI) database. CORIs are checked frequently when people apply for loans, fill out an application to rent an apartment, or try to get a job ... and showing up in the database is not a good thing. If Question 2 passed, CORIs would be eliminated for anyone pinched possessing a small amount of marijuana.
If marijuana is a less harmful substance than alcohol, surely a kid caught with a joint in his pocket shouldn't have to answer for it 20 years later.
Rick, I agree that a minor offense of possession of a small amount of marijuana shouldn't result in youths loosing there place in society or facing jail time. However, i feel that just a fine will not change any ones ways if the small possession is actually linked to a real problem or possible drug dealing. I think a more beneficial punishment may be a educational class on drugs and their effects to educate the possessor or maybe even a mandatory psychiatry appointment to check there stability and happiness levels. I realize this is idealistic and their might be many other factors that need to be taken into account before immediately starting up this form of punishment but I do believe progressing towards it could help our youth, and those caught with possession of a small amount of marijuana.
D.R. -- Question 2 actually requires any juvenile caught with a small amount of marijuana to attend a drug education class and do community service. They also get hit with the fine -- delivered to their parents or guardians, so the family's involved immediately -- and, if they skip out on the class or the community service, the fine increases to $1,000.
I think that's all fairly reasonable. It treats the offense as an opportunity for the family to address what may or may not be an indication of other problems, but it does so without also saddling them with a record that could affect school loans and other things down the road.
ludditerobot, Really? I wasn't aware of that because it wasn't described in that way in the commercial. However, the revised consequences for possession you described do seem more reasonable than jail/just being fined. I think those consequences could benefit the community as you say only if those laws are strictly enforced and if the drug education class is actually effective and interactive.
6 comments:
Marijuana is less harmful than alcohol but I still don't support the action. Lesser punishment for possession of a small amount of marijuana is a reinforcement.
I have to agree with Giny. If small amounts of Marijuana are punished less severely than larger amounts problems will arise because the definition of a small amount will be called into question: How small is too small. I believe that if the drug is harmful enough to be banned, the amount it takes to harm the person should not be questioned. One punishment for possesion of an illegal substaance is simple enough, lets not complicate it.
Thanks for the link. I have to say, I'm puzzled by the comments here. I think any reduction in the punishment for marijuana possession is a good thing.
With Question 2 in Mass, possession of an ounce or less will be a civil rather than criminal penalty ... meaning, you'd get a ticket, like for speeding. No criminal record, no court proceedings, etc.
Also, in Massachusetts, simply getting arrested enters you into the "Criminal Offender Record Information" (or CORI) database. CORIs are checked frequently when people apply for loans, fill out an application to rent an apartment, or try to get a job ... and showing up in the database is not a good thing. If Question 2 passed, CORIs would be eliminated for anyone pinched possessing a small amount of marijuana.
If marijuana is a less harmful substance than alcohol, surely a kid caught with a joint in his pocket shouldn't have to answer for it 20 years later.
Rick,
I agree that a minor offense of possession of a small amount of marijuana shouldn't result in youths loosing there place in society or facing jail time. However, i feel that just a fine will not change any ones ways if the small possession is actually linked to a real problem or possible drug dealing. I think a more beneficial punishment may be a educational class on drugs and their effects to educate the possessor or maybe even a mandatory psychiatry appointment to check there stability and happiness levels. I realize this is idealistic and their might be many other factors that need to be taken into account before immediately starting up this form of punishment but I do believe progressing towards it could help our youth, and those caught with possession of a small amount of marijuana.
D.R. -- Question 2 actually requires any juvenile caught with a small amount of marijuana to attend a drug education class and do community service. They also get hit with the fine -- delivered to their parents or guardians, so the family's involved immediately -- and, if they skip out on the class or the community service, the fine increases to $1,000.
I think that's all fairly reasonable. It treats the offense as an opportunity for the family to address what may or may not be an indication of other problems, but it does so without also saddling them with a record that could affect school loans and other things down the road.
ludditerobot,
Really? I wasn't aware of that because it wasn't described in that way in the commercial. However, the revised consequences for possession you described do seem more reasonable than jail/just being fined. I think those consequences could benefit the community as you say only if those laws are strictly enforced and if the drug education class is actually effective and interactive.
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