A poll conducted last month by the Angus Reid Global Monitor found that a plurality of Britons -- 41%--believe people caught possessing marijuana for their personal use should face the penalties associated with Class C drugs. Another 27% said marijuana possessors should face no penalty at all.
Under the Misuse of Drugs Act, possession of Class C drugs (marijuana, tranquilizers) is punishable by up to two years in prison, possession of Class B drugs (amphetamines, barbiturates) garners up to five years, and possession of Class A drugs (heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine) is worth up to seven years. Marijuana was down-scheduled to Class C in 2005, but the Labor government of Prime Minister Gordon Brown is hinting broadly that it will reschedule it back to the more serious Class B in the near future.
But according to the Angus Reid poll, while 68% of respondents favored either the status quo or some form of decriminalization or legalization, only 13% supported treating marijuana possession as a Class B drug offense, and only 11% supported subjecting pot smokers to the seven years in prison associated with Class A drugs. Nine percent of respondents had no clue.
Oddly enough, Angus Reid itself spun the poll results as suggesting support for a tougher line on marijuana. "Most Britons Want Jail for Marijuana," read the headline of its release. While that headline is factually accurate -- 65% think marijuana possession should be punished as a Class A, B, or C drug offense -- it is misleading because a plurality supports the status quo -- not an increase in penalties -- and a sizeable minority supports having no penalties at all.
Misleading? Learn to add!
Let's see: 11% + 13% + 41% = 65% So, "Most Britons Want Jail for Marijuana." 65% is "Most". Where's the spin on the headline? 65% is a bigger number than 27%. Do you see how that works?
C'mon, that's a pedantic and insulting comment!
An equally logical way to "add" is the way the writers did it: 27% + 41%, or 68%, an overwhelming majority, support "status quo or more liberal".
This is an equally valid observation to the one you made and says nothing about one's arithmetic skills, only about one's biases and preconceptions.
Understand the headline first
I do not take issue with the analysis of the poll as showing "support" for the status quo. I take issue with the writer's allegation that the headline was spinned to suggest a tougher line on marijuana possession. This is simply not true. The headline reads: "Most Britons Want Jail for Marijuana Possession". 65% is a bigger number than 27%.
Indeed, looking at the numbers and coming up with 68% support the "status quo or more liberal" position is valid. What is not valid is to attempt to slander the original source because the story was not written in a way that would suit your agenda.
We're talking about two different levels here. The original story dealt with "Jail or No Jail". Your writer is using "Increase Penalties or Keep the Status Quo / Have No Penalties". He/She is definitely free to do so. However, when we analyze the two levels, whose biases and preconceptions are showing?
Citizens and media bark ... but do the know what they're getting
Not too long ago in my own country, Denmark, someone decided to find out what the citizens of Denmark thought of our criminal penalties for violent crime (of all sorts). A fair enough thing considering how we too have had a long period of "zero tolerance" and "tough on crime" rethorics.
What they actually did was present the subjects with some different - and very real - crimes, then they asked how long time the person should serve. The really funny part was that the vast majority wanted to punish their fellow (though violent) citizens LESS HARSHLY than the law already did.
So I just wonder if those who call for tougher penalties are evan aware of the current levels of punishment, and if they even think the current penalties are fair?
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