Fed up with prison overcrowding, the Texas legislature passes a law encouraging police to ticket rather than arrest people for small amounts of marijuana. And, wouldn’t you know it, police and prosecutors are ignoring it and fidgeting around rationalizing their determination to haul every pot smoker off to jail. Why? They consider it their job to overcrowd the prisons.
And as you might expect, we're told this is all necessary to protect the children:
And while we're at it, double-parking really is a vastly more serious crime than having marijuana. If Americans double-parked at the same rate that they smoke pot, we'd be living a parking lot. Pizzas would be undeliverable. Productivity would generally suffer considerably.
At least the police in Austin are following the new policy, and for innovative reasons you might never even think of:
And as you might expect, we're told this is all necessary to protect the children:
For Greg Davis, Collin County's first assistant district attorney, one of his qualms with the new law is the perception created by ticketing for a drug offense, instead of making an arrest.It's not enough for Mr. Davis to brand them with criminal records that could haunt them for the rest of their lives. They must also suffer the indignity of being handcuffed and tossed in an overcrowded steel box full of dangerous thugs the moment they're found with marijuana. Surely, that will show them how much we care.
"It may... lead some people to believe that drug use is no more serious than double parking," Mr. Davis said. "We don't want to send that message to potential drug users, particularly young people." [Dallas Morning News]
And while we're at it, double-parking really is a vastly more serious crime than having marijuana. If Americans double-parked at the same rate that they smoke pot, we'd be living a parking lot. Pizzas would be undeliverable. Productivity would generally suffer considerably.
At least the police in Austin are following the new policy, and for innovative reasons you might never even think of:
With the high price of gasoline, Mr. Wade said, writing citations also saves money because officers don't have to drive into Austin from the county's outskirts to put a suspect in jail.Is that what these people care about? Do we have to start talking about trivial crap like gas mileage to stop marijuana arrests? I will if I have to, but damn…
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In New York it's just a violation
Possession of a small amount of pot (user stash) is merely a violation in New York, exactly like a parking ticket, not a crime. While New York does have its draconian penalties for possession of larger amounts -- only a dealer would have a quarter-pound, or so the thinking goes -- at least smokers can get off with a $100 fine, much like a traffic ticket, but no points on your license.
The Texas legislature should take it one step further and simply decriminalize possession of small amounts of cannabis. Better still would be outright legalization, but I'm pretty sure folks would be happy to take one step at a time ion the right direction.
It's my life. Where is the liberty? What about the pursuit of happiness?
Austin vs. Dallas
It’s astonishing how drug enforcement brings out the very worst in cops, prosecutors, judges and politicians. But maybe that’s what it’s intended to do. Fascism needs constant refueling. The Texas marijuana citation issue is a case in point.
What cops claim as their actual intent often means nothing. Many progressive Americans have way too much experience dealing with wingnut hate mongers to fall for the ridiculous distractions and excuses that certain cops and other authorities employ while claiming they are protecting children from drugs. They know that the Texas police officers who defy state policy about issuing drug citations are doing so merely to satisfy a rabid hatred of marijuana smokers. After all, where’s the protection from the unhealthy and dangerous confines of a jail cell?
As the Dallas/Fort Worth police continue to fight the battles of the 60s and 70s, others, such as the Austin police, have obviously moved on. The behavior of the Dallas police must be something of an embarrassment to the Austin police; although the danger of a de facto police state that incarcerates people out of ethnocentric spite exceeds the discomfort of mere embarrassment. Unprofessional conduct of this sort by Texas redneck cops should be more forcefully dealt with by the state.
Giordano
We must regulate, control and tax marijuana and other drugs
Ironically, this "tough on crime" approach is actually the most stupid and permissive form of drug policy when it comes to protecting youth and communities.
--It doesn't regulate and monitor drug dealers.
--It gives them billion of dollars in untaxed revenue.
--It allows them to sell marijuana and other drugs in our residential areas and schools.
--It allows them to corrupt our police and other public officials.
--Kids can buy all the marijuana (and other drugs) they want, any time they want.
--Only about 3 percent of people who use marijuana annually are arrested (some deterrence).
--Because of the low cost of entry into the business, kids can easily become drug dealers. Actually, arresting more drug dealers just creates more job openings for youth because the profit is still there.
Our current drug policy sends the wrong message to parents. It usurps the rights and obligations of parents and breeds complacency. "Why should I bother talking to my kids about marijuana and other drugs, or even look after them, if the government is doing their job arresting drug dealers and drug testing my kids?" Welcome to the Drug War Welfare State.
Regulate
You did a very good job of pointing out the the failures of the present system. It is a lot better answer than "what kind of a message do we send to the kids?!" When are they going to realize that they are making it easier for thte kids to get the drugs. I did like the inference that parents were not doing their job, as well. If kids got the truth instead of a mix-mash of lies and half-truths, then, just maybe, they would listen to what adults had to say. The biggest farce is the fact that alcohol is much more toxic than most drugs. (kids do overdose on it, too!). But, it is treated completely differently because of the legal status of the substance.
I'm getting real tired of
I'm getting real tired of living in a world made for 8 year olds! I'm for protecting children but doing so with common sense. I've heard that 5000 kids have gone to the emergency room in 2005 because of backpack incidences....if this is true then why are backpacks legal? That would be because of common sense. Common sense has sure become rare these days.
Oops
I should have put "when it comes to prohibition" at the end of "Common sense has sure become rare these days" to avoid the contradiction...LOL...I guess I lost my common sense there for a bit.... :O)
remember Judge Dred
"It's the law," they say while they lie to get search warrants. "There are laws against using drugs," they say while they kick in your door and wave their guns in the faces of your children. While they trash your house, and your life; when you try to get your personal belongings back and discover that your address book, your drivers' license and your kids' toy nunchuks are "paraphernalia" and had to be destroyed.
Nobody, in my experience, has more contempt for the law than those sworn to uphold it.
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