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only infraction is being in the country illegally, which is not a crime, but a civil infraction.
A: Yes. "Illegal presence" as the offense is called, is not a violation of the U.S. criminal code. A person cannot be sent to prison for being here without authorization from immigration authorities. It is, however, a violation of civil immigration laws, for which the federal government can impose civil penalties, namely deportation.
Q: But he was later asked a hypothetical question about someone sneaking across the border and said that's not a crime either. Is that true, too?
A: No. "Improper entry by an alien" as it is called, is a violation of Title 8 of the U.S. criminal code punishable by a fine of between $50 and $250 and/or a maximum of six months in jail.
It is considered difficult to prosecute because unless authorities catch someone in the act of crossing the border, it is easier to just deport them than spend the time and money needed to prove how they crossed the border. Even in border states, first-time offenders are rarely prosecuted because the court system would be inundated with millions of cases.
Data has already poured in showing it can cause anxiety, panic attacks, psychosis, mental illness and severe heart arrhythmia in some people. It is obviously not as harmless as the legalizers would want you to think. Down here in Miami/Ft Lauderdale area we no longer lock people up for it, we just give them a ticket ($100 more or less) for possession of small amounts. That seems to work fine. It is still illegal, which helps keep teenage use down.
From the research I've done, the frequency of the side effects you mention is fairly low. I'm not saying that they don't happen, but the rate at which they happen seems to be lower than the side effects of many traditional medications.
That being said, even if there are side effects that affect a small percentage of users, that doesn't justify keeping it illegal. We should not have laws that are aimed at protecting us from ourselves. Should it be legal to drive while high? Probably not, as THC does impair fine motor skills. Should it be illegal for minors to use it? Yes, because it can affect the development of the brain if used at a young age. But simply possessing or using marijuana shouldn't have been made illegal in the first place. If it weren't for corporate greed and racism, it probably wouldn't have happened.
Can't even find a doctor to prescribe marinol. Supposed to help with arthritis pain. My system can't tolerate opiods and regular pain relievers do nothing.
A: Yes. "Illegal presence" as the offense is called, is not a violation of the U.S. criminal code. A person cannot be sent to prison for being here without authorization from immigration authorities. It is, however, a violation of civil immigration laws, for which the federal government can impose civil penalties, namely deportation.
Q: But he was later asked a hypothetical question about someone sneaking across the border and said that's not a crime either. Is that true, too?
A: No. "Improper entry by an alien" as it is called, is a violation of Title 8 of the U.S. criminal code punishable by a fine of between $50 and $250 and/or a maximum of six months in jail.
It is considered difficult to prosecute because unless authorities catch someone in the act of crossing the border, it is easier to just deport them than spend the time and money needed to prove how they crossed the border. Even in border states, first-time offenders are rarely prosecuted because the court system would be inundated with millions of cases.
Location: The Land Mass Between NOLA and Mobile, AL
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Originally Posted by JimRom
From the research I've done, the frequency of the side effects you mention is fairly low. I'm not saying that they don't happen, but the rate at which they happen seems to be lower than the side effects of many traditional medications.
That being said, even if there are side effects that affect a small percentage of users, that doesn't justify keeping it illegal. We should not have laws that are aimed at protecting us from ourselves. Should it be legal to drive while high? Probably not, as THC does impair fine motor skills. Should it be illegal for minors to use it? Yes, because it can affect the development of the brain if used at a young age. But simply possessing or using marijuana shouldn't have been made illegal in the first place. If it weren't for corporate greed and racism, it probably wouldn't have happened.
I will agree with that. I remember getting a bit paranoid and anxious when I smoked too much illegal weed as a teenager, but that was my own fault. I would not knowingly sell or give a kid marijuana (much as I wouldn't do so with a cigarette or a beer). There are prescription and OTC pharmaceuticals which will do a lot more harm to your kidneys and/or liver. Legalize it
It looks like nearly two-thirds of Americans support legalization and around half of Republicans do. When are we going to stop wasting millions of dollars in resources against a plant that is less harmful than alcohol? I understand that people may have religious objections to using it or may simply not like it. However, there is no reason for it to remain illegal.
And yet this “harmless” plant can cause psychosis and paranoia.
Should another natural plant like the opium poppy or the coca leaf?
I don't even use the stuff, and I think it should be legalized.
Same here. I intensely dislike the effect it has on me, but I am drinking way more than my share of this world's wine, so who the hell am I to throw stones?
And yet this “harmless” plant can cause psychosis and paranoia.
Should another natural plant like the opium poppy or the coca leaf?
I know you don't care but the opium poppy and the coca leaf are a bit more complicated because they are much more dangerous and addictive than cannabis. However, unless you are going to go full nanny-state and ban every substance or product that might be harmful to somebody somewhere, there is no reason to ban cannabis.
I tire of the moral outrage at drugs but alcohol is fine. LOl, whatever.
Legalize it and move on already, take one peg out of the drug trade war and hopefully it will all fall apart. Bootlegging back in the prohibition days made criminals rich, they legalized it again and the vast majority of criminality around it dried up. I think we should overall look at that model and see if it can put a dent in the drug wars and trafficking. Might free up some prison space, could generation some tax revenue, free up resources from the extensive "war on drugs" which is a complete waste of money, time and energy.
Man has been looking to get his head change on since the dawn of time, why are we fighting this crap?????
There's still states where it's illegal? Like Alabama or something? What is this the 1930's? I thought pretty much everywhere has at least medical cannabis these days.
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