cannabisnews.com: US Marijuana Busts Remained High In 1998 - Group US Marijuana Busts Remained High In 1998 - Group Posted by FoM on October 17, 1999 at 16:08:44 PT Reuters Source: Fox News The number of marijuana arrests last year remained near the 1997 record high and surpassed those for murder, rape, robbery and aggravated assault combined, a group that lobbies for the reform of marijuana laws reported Sunday. Citing statistics from the FBI's report of crime statistics for 1998, the Washington-based Marijuana Policy Project said there were 682,885 arrests related to the drug in 1998, down 1.8 percent from the record high of 695,200 in 1997. "This is a tremendous waste of criminal justice resources,'' said Chuck Thomas, spokesman for the group, which lobbies lawmakers to legalize medical marijuana prescribed by doctors for illnesses that cause pain or discomfort associated with the treatment of cancer or AIDS. The 1998 marijuana arrests, 88 percent of which were for possession as opposed to sale or manufacture, exceeded last year's arrests for murder, rape, robbery and aggravated assault combined, the Marijuana Policy project said in its statement. The FBI report that contained the drug data also showed that the United States had the lowest murder rate in more than 30 years and that the overall number of serious crimes reported in 1998 fell 5 percent, the seventh consecutive annual decline. Citing other government statistics, the Marijuana Policy Project has reported that there are 59,300 marijuana offenders in U.S. prisons and jails at any given time. "It is time to stop arresting adults who grow and consume their own marijuana at home — and instead put these public resources into violent-crime enforcement and effective drug education,'' said Thomas. 6.00 p.m. ET (2208 GMT) October 17, 1999© Reuters Ltd. All rights reserved Marijuana Policy Project's Web Sitehttp://www.mpp.org/Johnson Won't Let Drug Issue Go - 10/16/99http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread3308.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #4 posted by FoM on October 18, 1999 at 17:29:36 PT: Marijuana Policy Project - For Immediate Release FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE OCTOBER 17, 1999Marijuana Arrests Stay at Record-High Level:FBI Reports 682,885 Marijuana Arrests in 1998, 88% for Possession.Total Tops Murder, Rape, Robbery, and Aggravated Assault Arrests Combined! Earlier this year, the Federation of American Scientists published the Marijuana Policy Project's report, "Marijuana Arrests and Incarceration in the United States," which used government-supplied data to estimate that there are 59,300 marijuana offenders incarcerated in federal and state prisons and local jails in the United States at any given time. Go to:http://www.fas.org/drugs/issue7.htm and search for "incarceration".Click the link to read the complete article.http://www.mpp.org/nr101799.html [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by J Christen-Mitchell on October 18, 1999 at 17:22:30 PT: Hide The Truth Checking this story with 3 major papers sites finds no mention of the enormous number of mj arrests. They hide the truth. Wouldn't most Americans want the news that 1/4 of all arrests are for pot? [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by BigAb on October 18, 1999 at 05:27:57 PT: Pot Busts The sad fact of the matter is that police have made pot a revenue raiser..... bust a smoker and fines and confiscation feeds the kitty..... Did they REALLY work to lower the crime rate ....I doubt it, it just happened because people are'nt killing and robbing as much BUT you watch them pat theirselves on the back.... [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by freedom fighter on October 17, 1999 at 18:31:58 PT cannabis arrests The "WAR ON DRUGS" is really a war against marijuana users. This is a tremendous waste of time, resources, and people. [ Post Comment ] Post Comment Name: Optional Password: E-Mail: Subject: Comment: [Please refrain from using profanity in your message] Link URL: Link Title: