Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I don't think the use of illegal drugs is ever a victimless crime. We all have a choice to take drugs or not. Those that do often get addicted and they will do anything to feed their habit.
I spoke with a relative this morning and we talked about drugs and she said there is a growing problem in her town where needles from heroine use are showing up on the streets, in the parks etc.. Imagine one innocent person getting stuck with a diseased needle. That one prick could ruin their lives.
If we are soft on addicts and treat them like they have a disease how about the dealers? The dealers are destroying lives and families. Talk about victims. It has to be terrible for someone to love an addict and not knowing when they will overdose or praying non stop that their last stint in rehab sticks.
How about the drugs coming into the country via drug mules that are either paid because they are desperate or they have no choice.
How about the violence that plagues the likes of Chicago. It is mostly young black guys killing other young black guys and drugs are usually involved.
El Chapo a drug cartel kingpin has just escaped a maximum security prison in Mexico. He certainly had help and either paid people off or threatened them.
The drug trade is not pretty from start to finish and locking up the key players has to be done. It is either that or we need to do what some other countries do and execute the repeat offenders.
We need to treat the addicts and lock up the dealers.
The only reason there are criminal dealers NOW is because the drugs are ILLEGAL-which creates a black market. Legalize and let small businesses profit legally and non-violently, just as huge multinational pharmaceutical conglomerates profit massively from legal drugs, which are killing more people today than any illegal drug in the past ever has.
Don't you understand history? Prohibition and organized crime? I'll never understand people like you that continue to hold onto such insane views. Violent oppression by the Government is never the answer for moral issues unless the issue itself is violent, and we already have laws forbidding murder, rape, assault.
Stop giving our corrupt Government so much power to abuse.
Why do you ignore the biggest drug problem in our society-legal drugs. Is it because you approve of addiction, death and immorality when it is Government and Corporately sanctioned?
46 is a very small number. More than 30,000 applications were filed. As every article about these pardons states, these were "non-violent" criminals whose sentences did not fit the crime. In no way did these people get a free ride. Obama never said they were innocent.
Although this isn't directly related to the story, I can never forget a news story I read when I was in college. A man in Texas was caught smoking a joint and sentenced to 25 years. Yet Texas has historically been the leading state for alcohol related traffic accidents, many leading to serious injury, and get a slap on the wrist or a light sentence. However, I realize most alcohol and drug related offenders go to a state facility.
I don't smoke anything and I rarely drink alcohol and I don't want drug addicts roaming the streets or dealers selling to children. However, many drug-related offenders get community service or a slap on the wrist, especially if they have the right lawyer. Our justice system, in most cases, favors those who can afford it.
If I had any power to throw people behind bars, I'd take the thousands of so-called good citizens who have a few drinks and get behind the wheel. The penalties in most states have gotten harsher, but it usually takes the death of a family before people begin to take drunk driving seriously. Why should drugs be any worse?
By the way, Obama didn't "pardon" anyone. That's like saying they weren't guilty. Their sentences were commuted. One man has been in a Federal prison since 1999 for conspiracy to distribute drugs like heroin. Yes, I think this man deserved to go to prison for a long time. However, rapists and pedophiles get lighter sentences.
The New England Conference of The United Methodist Church, representing more than 600 congregations, voted last month to support efforts to address the nation's drug abuse problem through "means other than prohibition."
I rarely agree with the present, but I do agree in decriminalization of nonviolent drug offenses. These may all be 46 drug dealing murderers, but it looks like a semi-positive step.
Well you took the bait. the lawyers put one over on you.
Problem is those non violent drug offenders more than likely took a plea deal that makes them appear to be perps of non violent crime. Prosecutor gets a win with hardly any effort which is good for his career advancement and run in politics.
sure somebody gets arrest for pot possession there shouldn't be jail term unless they were a dealer.
I support legalizing drugs or at least not harsh sentences. It's wrong that often murderers and rapists get shorter sentences.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
