cannabisnews.com: Drug Laws Face Scales of Justice Drug Laws Face Scales of Justice Posted by CN Staff on March 01, 2004 at 12:02:48 PT By Carla Crowder, News Staff Writer Source: Birmingham News Montgomery -- Alabama spends about $4 million each year to lock up marijuana users who wouldn't see the inside of prison in many states, according to an analysis by the Alabama Sentencing Commission. The judges, prosecutors and state leaders on the commission agree that Alabama's drug laws need fixing. So far they haven't been able to agree on reforms that might fly with the Legislature and the public. But they are trying - starting with marijuana, a drug that rarely means prison time in states such as Virginia. "I can't remember anybody going to jail for pot in the last 15 years," said Richard Trodden, Commonwealth Attorney for Arlington County, Va., referring exclusively to possession cases. Virginia, like Alabama, treats dealers and traffickers much more seriously. The first conviction for personal-use marijuana is a misdemeanor in Alabama. After that, possession becomes a felony no matter how small the quantity. About 1,000 people each year are convicted of felony possession, and nearly 40 percent of those are sent to prison, according to Sentencing Commission statistics. The Legislature created the commission in 2000 to address Alabama's crowded prisons and bring about fairer sentences. Several judges on the commission say they would prefer smarter options for drug users. Harsh prison sentences punish addicts, but don't appear to be stemming drug use. "If the deterrent factor would work, would we have as much drug use as we have in this country? Doesn't everybody know how tough the drug laws are in this country? They really do," said Jefferson County District Judge Pete Johnson. Yet proposals considered this year at commission meetings have met sharp resistance from district attorneys. A suggestion discussed last month called for raising the quantity for felony possession to more than a pound. Montgomery County District Attorney Ellen Brooks, who represents Alabama DAs on the commission, doubted lawmakers would pass such a bill, even if the commission was behind it. "I think going around saying you've got a pound of marijuana and it's a misdemeanor is not going to sell well in Alabama," Brooks said. Note: State more often imprisons marijuana users. Snipped: Complete Article: http://www.freedomtoexhale.com/scale.htmSource: Birmingham News, The (AL)Author: Carla Crowder, News Staff WriterPublished: March 01, 2004Copyright: 2004 The Birmingham NewsContact: Epage bhamnews.comWebsite: http://al.com/birminghamnews/Related Article:Panel Looking at Fewer Prison Terms for MJ http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread18420.shtmlCannabisNews -- Cannabis Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/cannabis.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #5 posted by FoM on March 01, 2004 at 14:30:10 PT Expanded AP Article on The Raids Feds Seize Drug Paraphernalia From Six NC Stores: http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread18422.shtml [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by kaptinemo on March 01, 2004 at 13:58:00 PT: Meanwhile... Eslewhere in North Carolina, while police dressed as Darth Vader wannabes crash through doors and terrorize harmless people in their quest to rid the world of paraphenalia incapable of hurting anyone, Nine-One-One operators are receiving calls from desperate people being attacked by murderers, rapists, robbers and whatnot. All badly in need of police assistance.I can make a makeshift waterpipe out of a plastic drink bottle, a wooden candle cup holder, a screen, and a piece of metal tubing, using a penknife, in 1 minute flat. Bing, bang, boom...or should I say bong? And anyone of age can buy a regular pipe from a 'drug store' (such irony, huh?) and stuff a screen in it and be toking in less time than that. Some effect that this is going to have, save cause more unemployment in an already crippled economy going nowhere fast.Don't they have better things to do...like catching terrorists? REAL ones? [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by fearfull on March 01, 2004 at 13:56:51 PT Bigdawg So they can hold it over your head, and use it to coerce you into turning in your friends. [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by BigDawg on March 01, 2004 at 13:21:37 PT I will gladly send him some names. >I can't remember anybody going to jail for pot in the last 15 yearsI will gladly send him some names if he can't remember. The laws may be less barbaric in VA than in AL, but there ARE people in jail for possession. And get caught growing a small amount of personal medicine, and it will be a loooooong time before you see the light of day.This ranks right up there with the BS spouted against making it a low priority for police officers. If NOBODY is going to jail for possession as they say, then please explain why they are fighting to keep such laws on the books. [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by FoM on March 01, 2004 at 12:26:31 PT North Carolina: News Brief from The AP Feds Seize Drug Paraphernalia From Six N.C. Stores'Operation Pipecleaner' Hopes To Reduce Demand For DrugsMarch 1, 2004RALEIGH, N.C. -- The federal government is going after businesses that sell drug paraphernalia in eastern North Carolina.U.S. Attorney Frank Whitney announced Monday that agents searched six businesses in Wake and New Hanover counties last week and seized pipes, clips and other items used for taking drugs. No charges have been filed related to the seizures, but Whitney said the investigation is ongoing. He said it's a federal felony to sell or market such paraphernalia.The seizures are part of a new investigation called "Operation Pipecleaner," designed to reduce demand for drugs in the region, particularly marijuana.Whitney said the type of marijuana sold now in the state has a higher concentration of its active ingredient compared to 30 years ago. It's also viewed as a "gateway" drug for teenagers on the way to more powerful narcotics.Copyright: 2004 by The Associated Press. [ Post Comment ] Post Comment