Drug Possession Laws

Comments debate the criminalization of drug possession, especially marijuana and small amounts, questioning imprisonment for non-violent offenses, sentencing disparities, and comparisons to trafficking or violent crimes.

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Keywords

BOP US OP HN VERY DEA www.bjs wikipedia.org penalties.html OkayPhysicist drugs drug possession marijuana trafficking jail cocaine arrested illegal prison

Sample Comments

mturmon Jun 17, 2010 View on HN

Maybe it has to do with the drugs being a felony?

xyzzyz Jul 25, 2021 View on HN

You can, at least for some drugs: in many places, possession of drugs is a criminal offense, carrying jail term. However, it is commonly understood today that jailing addicts so that they can recover in controlled setting is inhumane, as opposed to letting them overdose under the bridge.

taybin May 23, 2013 View on HN

"This is more often then not for crimes like drugs"Citation needed, I guess?

alangibson Jun 15, 2019 View on HN

What state? Look in to asking/applying for a pardon if it really was just possession.

jammygit Dec 31, 2018 View on HN

Actual crimes like possession of marijuana?

username90 Feb 21, 2021 View on HN

Problem with you who are used to USA is that to you making drugs illegal means putting random people into prison for years. For me it means the kids who go out to smoke weed maybe get caught once every few years and gets a slap on the wrist and a small fine. I see how the first creates more problem than having things legal, I don't see how the second creates problems for society and I'd suggest you try that before you progress further.

gavinray Nov 11, 2023 View on HN

People do things they're not proud of in desperate situations. Also, everyone was 18-21 once.Speaking as someone who (barely) survived an unintentional acetyl-fentanyl overdose that hospitalized me with rhabdo and almost killed my then-fiance -- him dealing this stuff is not the end of the world.I think a lot of people on HN don't know what it's like to be someone below the poverty line who is also entangled with the law. If you're looking for hell in a first-world coun

orborde Feb 2, 2010 View on HN

Bear in mind that most of those are drug-related. Stuff that the people involved are well aware is illegal. This means that our prison populations are not really good examples to wield in the service of reducing the number of obscure laws that could be used to convict anyone at any time.

dkjaudyeqooe Jan 6, 2024 View on HN

What freedom? You get locked up if you take certain drugs.

do you know how many poor people get caught up on mj charges every year in this country? not to mention this will lead to prior charges being expunged from people's records. but sure let's prioritize those two guys.