This is a real problem, putting pot smokers in jail for decades

[dsc]

http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/01/04-1

WASHINGTON - January 4 - Fallout from the Obama Administration's aggressive federal enforcement in medical marijuana states has reached a fever pitch this month with three people being sentenced, two others due to surrender to federal authorities to serve out sentences of up to five years in prison, and one federal trial in Montana currently scheduled for January 14th. Two of the three people being sentenced in the coming month -- Montana cultivator Chris Williams and Los Angeles-area dispensary operator Aaron Sandusky -- face five and ten years to life, respectively.

"The number of sick patients being locked up by the Obama Administration is unprecedented and deplorable," said Kris Hermes, spokesperson for Americans for Safe Access, the country's leading medical marijuana advocacy organization. "Aggressive enforcement is an unacceptable means of addressing medical marijuana as a public health issue," continued Hermes. "The Obama Administration is lying to the American people when it says it's not targeting individual patients and these cases are clear evidence of that." Montana patient cultivator Richard Flor died in August while serving out a 5-year prison sentence.

Five cultivators claiming to be in compliance with Michigan's medical marijuana law were sentenced in October. Two of the cultivators -- Jaycob Montague and Jeremy Duval -- are already serving their prison terms of 18 months and 5 years, respectively, and two others -- John Marcinkewciz and Shelley Waldron -- are scheduled to surrender to federal authorities on January 8th and 10th, respectively. Waldron will be imprisoned for 18 months and Marcinkewciz for 5 years. The fifth cultivator, Jerry Duval (Jeremy's father), was sentenced to 10 years, but has not yet been given a surrender date.

end of quote

There is no excuse for this, none. No bankers in jail despite their ruining the economy, no Massey execs in jail despite literally killing miners, but these people get decades.

[Mnemosyne]

2. K&R for more eyes. nt

[LadyHawkAZ]

3. Kick n/t

[GReedDiamond]

4. Beyond bad policy, and so unnecessary...knr...nt.

[Bonobo]

5. B-but the DOJ operates independently I tell ya!!!

It's got nothing to do with Obama! Zero. Nada!

[dsc]

7. in particular cases that is fair

but broad themes are a different story.

[Lordquinton]

6. And those two boys form Stubenville?

a year.

[Lunacee_2013]

17. Yup, our justice system is f'ed up.

I use to baby-sit a kid who was molested by her father. His sentence? 18 months, and he didn't even serve all of it because of over-crowding, partly caused by the war on drugs. So instead of putting rapists and the crooks on wall-street in prison, ya know, the ppl who actually deserve it, we're putting sick ppl, college kids, and hippies in there. Gotta keep our private prisons profitable I guess...

[librechik]

22. profitable and safer, cuz fewer REAL bad guys inside than those who misbehave n/t

[JDPriestly]

8. Congress needs to revisit these laws.

Jailing these people is costing taxpayers a lot of money.

[Separation]

14. Probably not.

It's costing them a ton of money, my guess is that they will be sent to a privatized prison.

When jail and medical needs become a, for profit, protecting the shareholder's bottom line over the well being of the little guy (you and I). Well, things will not end up good.

[cstanleytech]

9. I thought it was up to congress and the senate to repeal federal laws and

that if they dont want to then the law has to be enforced by the varies federal agencies?

[rhett o rick]

10. One of the greatest powers of the president is his ability to determine

how strongly to enforce laws. If he refused to enforce then Congress could take action, but he has the power to determine priorities and he hasnt the money to enforce all laws.

It amazes me that Obama lovers will resort to the argument that he is powerless.

[cstanleytech]

11. Assuming you are right I wonder why he doesnt then.

Its not like he can run for a 3rd term so he doesn have anything political to gain.

[Stainless]

23. Obama is Truly Foolish

His leadership is very hit and miss and marijuana is one area where he totally blew the opportunity to gain a lot of support for his policies. His failure to lead will cause a lot of misery for people who deserve better than he has to offer.

[awoke_in_2003]

28. He does what his bosses tell him to do...

just like every other politician in DC

[Buddyblazon]

12. Why is it only these people that got busted?

Why haven't all MMJ patients and cultivators been busted?

[defacto7]

13. Kickin' the hell out of this one.

&R

It's all so stupid. I never thought I would be as old as I am now and see the same bull shit. In 1970, I thought by 1980 MJ would be in the open. And on and on and on the stupid goes.

[Egalitarian Thug]

15. Hey, quit being a bummer, we're looking forward. n/t

[B Calm]

16. You'd think if the republicans

who want smaller government were smart, they would be all over this.

[Le Taz Hot]

25. It was Nixon who talked Congress into allowing him,

a president, to apply Schedule I to cannabis which means if a president giveth a president can taketh away (in this case, re-schedule or, better yet, REMOVER all schedules). Another point: Obama has prosecuted FAR FAR more cases of MM than Bush ever did. Republicans my ass.

[cali]

18. yes, it's a real problem but

why make shit up for your op title? these people are being imprisoned but their sentences are not decades long as you claim.

[appal_jack]

19. k&r, n/t

[NaturalHigh]

20. It's time to end the "war on drugs."

It has cost our country billions, and it's never been effective. Prohibition has created murderous drug cartels that terrify people with paramilitary armies of goons and enrich psychopaths who would otherwise be nothing more than low-level thugs.

[4_TN_TITANS]

21. They have let the 'state's rights' thing run amok....

The very first time a state voted to go against the federal law, this should have been addressed / repealed by the U.S. Congress. I consider this to be entrapment - arresting people who are led to believe they are operating within their state's laws.

The federal MJ laws should be repealed and it should be up to a state to determine legal or not, if that's how we are going to do it.

[phantom power]

24. recommended

[ladjf]

26. It's an unmitigated disaster ! Many people have gone to jail for months for simply possessing

one or two joints.

[yodermon]

27. Did any of them ask for a jury trial? Time to think about jury nullification. n/t