27-Year-Old Man Gets "20 Years Hard Labor" for Half an Ounce of Pot

reply to post by yorkshirelad


That's just a question of geography. You can't move out of a state just because you disagree with their laws.
It's the law in itself that needs to change not the people.
Someone earlier mentioned the anti gay laws in Russia, there the gay community cannot just move, the law has to change.

Aww said like a true slave owner.

"The law says I can own as many slaves as I like and beat them too!"

Yeah, justify it... ignorance is groovy.

reply to post by winofiend


Please no name calling I am not a slave owner and I resent being called that just because I take an opposing view on the topic of this thread...I have lived in California, on and off during the trial and tribulations of creating this medicinal herb to be legalized, I have a best friend that I have known since 8th grade but due to back problems and chronic pain, she uses this medicinal herb legally with a card issued by a state recognized doctor...

We are both 50 years of age and discuss this all the time as sensible adults...My sister here in Montana was also using this medicinal herb as well for back issues and severe Fibro...These two women have been work horses their whole lives, from construction to prison guards...(retired)...My brother has a medical card as well...he is retired construction and X Navy...

So as you can see our family are not the SLAVE OWNERS...WE ARE THE SLAVES...Back to why I take this so called "GROOVY IGNORANT VIEW"...I believe in the laws of whichever state one CHOOSES to live in...The guy as stated in the OP had priors...If one does the crime expect to do the time...Why would it be fair to those that have to PAY annually for their MEDICAL MEDICINAL HERB card and others who cheat the system...

If this is a medicinal herb and can help those who truly NEED it then it is MEDICINE...MEDICINE is not free...Perhaps also the laws are strict to help people to learn to use and not abuse...This man in the OP is not the type to be a poster boy for legalization...just the opposite...He is the bad apple that will spoil the bunch...

Truly,

shells4u

reply to post by OtherSideOfTheCoin


What a load of crap, so do you agree with the 20 year sentance (would be known as a life sentance here in England) for having a bit of weed? Yes he should be punished for doing it a third time if that is the law, but giving him 20 years is over the top.

Regardless of how you feel about MJ, look at it only from a cost perspective. Louisiana is one of the cheaper states to jail someone, and I've found ranges from $13,000-$18,000 per year for that state. So let's take right in the middle of that range ($15,000) and multiply times 20 which equals $300,000. The question then becomes, is it worth $300K in taxpayer money to protect society from a guy caught three times with half and ounce of pot? And that's only if costs remain stable. I think not. Anyone supporting this sentence should never bitch a second about being asked to pay higher taxes.

I appreciate the staff leaving this thread open this long. The light being shined on disproportionate sentences is one way that laws will eventually be changed.

reply to post by goou111


Wow! Amazing that New Orleans has laws like that! The Mecca of easy riders, too!

Scary place these days, obviously.

The different laws state to state in the U.S are a peculiar concept. The U.S is very diverse.

I feel very sorry for this guy. I hope his sentence gets reduced big time. In my eyes, he should not even be in jail!

I'm still wondering why anyone would be fool enough to use a recreational drug when they knew it could get them put in jail AT ALL. All "medicinal" arguments aside,how terminally moronic does someone have to be to risk their future for it?

That's not oppression. That's total jackassery.

Maybe I would agree if it were a five year sentence for drinking water, or a ten year sentence for breathing.
Maybe a third conviction for farting in an elevator?

I mean, finding a source, getting the money, paying and then going through the physical steps to do something that isn't necessary or healthy.

That's not an involuntary bodily function nor will a healthy person die without it.

I've got nothing against it but I find it childishly idiotic that so many people break the law and then cry like babies when they get what they know will happen.

Go VOTE and get your local and state laws changed. Then you can have your fun without breaking the law.

Then, in 15 or 20 years you can sue every advocate who ever supported the stuff in the first place because it gave you cancer or your kid had crossed eyes or 12 toes.

I'd add a sarcastic emoticon here but I think you get a 1 year sentence for using anything that doesn't look like a Mr. Yuck sticker.

reply to post by badgerprints


I can't speak for this man, but here is a list of reasons: to denounce fascism, to take your power back, to do the right thing, to make use of the worlds natural medicines and aids, that were god given to all people grass roots, so they would be empowered, not slaves.

I wish everyone would stand up and do the right thing. You don't allow slavers to take over and craft insane laws.

Unfortunately, due to the programming and cowardness of others, some are continually martyred. So his plight is on everyones hands.

Bad guys take over when the good people don't act and patrol their systems, dont' grow up, they just fill a void that is existing by inertia.

These aren't the only laws that need looking at.

People need to stop allowing fascism and start empowering each other so that their children have a world that is not a hellzone.

masqua
Last chance.

Stick to the topic or this thread will wind up getting binned.

Please don't trash the thread....

It really is a good topic and very much worth discussing

reply to post by goou111


I've said so previously and still believe it a fitting discussion on the sentence itself. It really is up to those responding in your thread, unfortunately. Staff weary of dealing with those who insist on breaking T&C rules.

abdel
Cannabis is considered a herb by enlightened like minded people.

Maybe if the government understand this concept then they might release its not a dangerous drug and stop criminalising peoples freedom of choice!reply to post by andy06shake

 

This is exactly why herb is illegal, the predator class do not want an enlightened populace, that's why you get 20 hard in Louisiana.

edit on 27-9-2013 by abdel because: (he didn't say)

edit on 27-9-2013 by abdel because: (see above)

I've been around dope heads all my life. Sure, there are some enlightened people who use pot, but it has been my experience that most people just want to check out, veg, and it's nothing about enlightenment. So, please spare me all the wisdom of dope heads.

I feel the same about drunks, heroin, coc aine being abused. I also feel that as sovereign individuals you have a right to do whatever you want as long as it is not endangering anyone else, and I also feel you have a right to be a street urchin homeless jackwad who threw your life away, so don't go holding your hand out begging for the people to support you once you cannot do anything for yourself because you were so "enlightened". Freedom is not free and nobody owes you or me anything.

Unity_99

Unfortunately, due to the programming and cowardness of others, some are continually martyred. So his plight is on everyones hands.

I don't disagree with your general ideas. I do disagree with the melodramatic and romantic notion that this guy is any kind of a martyr.

The guy isn't practicing a religion or exercising peaceful dissent.
He's smoking a drug that is not necessary.

The law was created by people. The law can be changed by people.
Until such time as the law is changed by people, committing a crime is the responsibility of the idiot who already knows he's going to be convicted if caught.

He's no martyr. Hes a moron.

By the way, I don't actually think he needs 20 years for possession but I have no sympathy. He knew what he was doing. His "plight" is in his own hands.
Just like the plight of smokers who give themselves cancer and drunk drivers who kill themselves (and others) driving drunk.

Stupidity has a price. At least he'll be out of the gene pool a while.

If his "plight" were in my hands I'd just fine him the dollar amount that taxpayers will have to pay for those 20 years and have his wages garnished until he'd paid it off or died.

You want to make a difference? Get everyone that smokes it on the political bandwagon and get the laws changed.

I hear it all the time. "EVERYBODY uses it."

SO?

Why isn't EVERYBODY pushing their political reps to get it on a referendum and make it legal everywhere?

Why aren't the teeming masses of pot starved humanity raising the hue and cry in the halls of legislation for a CHANGE?

multiple posts. Glitch.

multiple posts. second glitch

badgerprints
Stupidity has a price. At least he'll be out of the gene pool a while.

What a rude and stupid comment. It would best if you leave the discussion if you lack empathy and respect for your fellow human beings, especially if they haven't done anything extraordinarily wrong. This person was just consuming a natural growing herb, he did not murder or rape someone.

reply to post by badgerprints


Wow, how smarmy of you to think you have all the answers! You know, there are many other plant species which are deemed illegal that are cures for diseases?

Take Psilocin for example. It is the only known cure for "Cluster Headaches". I wonder how you would feel if you suffered from such a malady and your only relief from debilitating pain was to partake in a substance which carried heavy penalties? The only reason these harmless plants/fungus is illegal is because of big pharma, period.

People didn't vote these stupid laws in, corrupt polititions did. Hell, they didn't even ask any medical proffessionals their advice, they just took something that was legal one day, and decided to make it illegal the next.

If MJ is soooo bad, why are pharmaceutical companies making THC pills that cost $20 apiece? On one hand, they say smoking pot is bad and cures nothing, and on the other hand, they sell the main ingredient of MJ in pill form and claim it help with all sorts of ailments. Hypocracy at its finest.

To all the people who claim "the law is the law": Have any of you ever taken someone else's prescription medication for a headache or maybe someone's leftover antibiotics for a absess tooth? I bet all of you have at some point. If so, do you then believe you should be charged with the felonies that come with doing that??

I also wonder how many of you havr had one too many and drove home drunk? Almost all of you at some point I'm sure.

We are ALL felons, its just most of us never get caught. Whether you believe pot is bad or not, noone could possibly think that 20 years for a possession of pot is a fair and just sentence. If you do, you are just trying to cause dissention in the ranks and perhaps need some of those big pharma medications to "correct that chemical imbalance" you suffer from.

Since we're obviously unable to stick to the topic, and repeatedly delve into personal attack and advocacy of drug use, thread closed. This time, permanently.