Obama reportedly planning mass pardon of drug sentences

[pbrower2a]

Just as well. The War on Drugs has become a War on Addicts.

[pbrower2a]

Probably marijuana offenders and non-violent addicts. President Obama can pardon only federal offenders, so those who have federal (but not State) felony convictions pardoned can re-enter the electorate.

For some offenders, pardons for federal drug possession won't help those convicted under Federal law for violations of gun laws or who have committed other offenses. Big dealers of any illicit drug usually violate Federal statutes for weapons, money-laundering, or tax evasion as well. President Obama is not going to pardon anyone for those offenses.

States that have legalized or trivialized marijuana-based offenses may follow.  But if a state like Michigan pardons people convicted of marijuana only, the same state might not pardon meth users, dealers, or manufacturers who have violated laws  against violent crimes, tax evasion, child endangerment, or environmental misconduct. Laws enacted against corporate offenders of environmental regulations are being used largely against meth 'cookers' in Michigan. Laws that entities like Dow Chemical or Ford Motor Company obey scrupulously to avoid problems with the law now go against thugs as close to the social bottom as business executives are to the social apex.  Unintended consequences.



 

[pbrower2a]

A huge step in the right direction. And I hope it's more than just a few thousand.

Barack Obama is more of a conservative on the niceties of law. Any amnesty will be limited to non-violent offenses relating to marijuana.  It will not be extended to harder drugs, to violent crimes of drug offenders, or to such conspiratorial crimes as tax evasion or money laundering.

I recall some Obama campaign literature dedicated to farmers in which he advocated harsher measures against ... well, basically meth, One menace in rural America was the theft of anhydrous ammonia -- with ammonia thieves often failing to stop the leak of ammonia which can find its way into pastures and feed lots and kill livestock. 

It will apply to federal -- not state -- offenders.   

[pbrower2a]

I pray this happens. America needs to stop eating its young.

At what age do you recommend children start doing drugs?

Way to make a strawman, dude.

And as others have said, this really needs to happen. Doing drugs (and possibly risking personal safety) shouldn't be something that people have to spend the rest of their lives paying for, with both prison time and a criminal record. One of the most extreme cases would be this man, currently serving live in prison with no chance of parol for...possessing 13 sheets of LSD.

And distributing in cold blood one of the most dangerous drugs to others who could harm themselves using it.

I guess his sentence is making him think twice as to whether it was a good idea to put others in danger.

The lethal dose of LSD is far below the psychoactive dose to an extent even lower than for 100%-legal caffeine. We're not talking about cocaine, heroin, meth, or Quaaludes.

LSD is prosecutable by the measure of weight. The dose for prosecution can include inert substances such as paper or sugar that contain the LSD.

Just so you know. It's almost as if someone carrying cocaine in a handbag were charged with possession of the weight of the handbag and its contents (including such objects as lipstick, tissues, combs or brushes, ballpoint pens, etc.) had those added.

Save the draconian sentences for people involved with such monstrous drugs as cocaine, heroin, and meth.  Draconian sentences are rightly saved for draconian deeds.