Libertarian Release:Police arrest more people for marijuana than murder, rape, and robbery combined

greenspun.com : LUSENET : TB2K spinoff uncensored : One Thread

WASHINGTON, DC -- Police arrested more people last year on marijuana charges than for all violent crimes combined, according to new FBI figures -- a policy that endangers public safety by diverting police resources, Libertarians charge.

"The War on Marijuana Smokers is good news for brutal street thugs, but it's bad news for ordinary Americans," said Harry Browne, the Libertarian Party's presidential candidate. "Why? Because police are kept busy arresting non-violent pot smokers -- while our families, friends, and neighbors fall prey to murderers, rapists, and robbers."

According to the new FBI Uniform Crime Report, police arrested more people for non-violent marijuana offenses in 1999 than for murder, rape, robbery, and aggravated assault -- combined.

In all, 704,812 Americans were arrested last year on marijuana- related charges, while only 635,990 people were arrested for the crimes of murder, rape, robbery, and aggravated assault.

"That means that in 704,812 instances last year, police spent their time and your money arresting and booking marijuana smokers instead of apprehending violent criminals," said Browne.

"So the next time you hear about a vicious murder in your community, ask yourself: Could the police have prevented this crime if they hadn't devoted uncounted millions of dollars and man-hours arresting those 704,812 people on marijuana charges over the past year?"

Of those arrested for marijuana offenses, 88% were charged with mere possession, noted Browne, and approximately 60,000 Americans are languishing in prison today on marijuana charges, according to the Marijuana Policy Project.

"Make no mistake: People do get sent to jail in America for simple marijuana possession," he said. "This is more proof that the War on Drugs has created a revolving door prison system. In goes the pot smoker; out comes the psychopathic killer, the kidnapper, or the child molester released on early parole."

Federal figures also show that a total of 4,175,357 people have been arrested on marijuana charges during the Clinton-Gore administration, even though President Clinton admitted he smoked marijuana "but didn't inhale" and Vice President Gore admits he smoked marijuana in his twenties.

"Mr. Clinton and Mr. Gore, would you be better men today if you had been thrown in jail for your youthful indiscretions?" asked Browne. "If not, how can you possibly justify throwing your fellow Americans in jail today for the same youthful indiscretions?"

Interestingly, the number of marijuana arrests is rising at the same time public support for the Drug War is falling, said Browne.

"FBI statistics show that 22,000 more people were arrested on marijuana charges in 1999 than in 1998," he said. "Yet marijuana- related initiatives are approved nearly every time they're put to a popular vote, and California's Proposition 36 -- which would eliminate prison terms for all non-violent drug offenses -- appears headed to victory as well.

"So while ordinary Americans see the futility of our current drug policies, politicians remain addicted to the War on Drugs and determined to arrest non-violent pot-smokers. That's why people who are victimized by murderers, rapists, and robbers are actually victimized twice: Once by street thugs, and once by the politicians who force police to waste their time arresting harmless pot-smokers as real criminals go free."

-- capnfun (capnfun1@excite.com), November 01, 2000

Answers

Response to Libertarian Release:Police arrest more people for marijuana than murder, rape, and robbery combined

A national disgrace.

-- Uncle Deedah (unkeed@yahoo.com), November 01, 2000.

Response to Libertarian Release:Police arrest more people for marijuana than murder, rape, and robbery combined

Press release from the Libertarian Party aside, the above stats are sickening.

The potential health benefits of the weed are great. Physical addiction is extremely limited in scope, withdrawal symptoms are painless. Impossible to overdose. 100% compensation for effects upon motor skills while stoned is possible (unlike with alcohol).

As the late great Peter Tosh sang, Legalize it!

Rich

-- Bingo1 (howe9@shentel.net), November 01, 2000.


Response to Libertarian Release:Police arrest more people for marijuanathan murder, rape, and robbery combined

On the ballot in California is Proposition 36 which will mandate treatment instead of Jail for first and second time offenders.As you might expect, it has not been well recieved by members of the Sheriff's ,Police,Prison guards,Judges,D.A.'s ,Lawyers.Bailiffs,Parole and Probation Officers.They are jumping through thier Ass's trying to defeat it.It will pass!! The people of California are sick and tired of the Drug War which is waged against the common people.They say it is a certain green veggie,and they say "They hell with it" Go Nader.The green Wind is growing.

-- Dan Newsome (BOONSTAR1@webtv.net), November 01, 2000.

Response to Libertarian Release:Police arrest more people for marijuana than murder, rape, and robbery combined

A vote for Gore is truly a vote for Bush.

-- Go for Nader (don't@waste.vote), November 01, 2000.

Response to Libertarian Release:Police arrest more people for marijuana than murder, rape, and robbery combined

yeah, but you know if they don't get them on the small stuff they will all soon turn to hard drugs and be mass murdrers and be boosting cars to pay for their habits.

-- Just passin through (nobody@nowhere.com), November 02, 2000.


I hope your joking, Just passing through..! 100% of the people I knew who smoked pot in their youth are now normal law abiding citizens who have long since quit and given up their lives to the system. None of us are brain damaged (insert joke here) and none of us moved on to hard drugs and "boosted cars"...and I think if someone did a national survey, they'd find that "us" is a very large number of people in their 30's and 40's. (unless my high school was VERY different than the rest of the world..and I don't..think so)

I would actually like to see pot legalized, just to prevent these very statistics capnfun has shown. That's just downright silly.

-- kritter (kritter@adelphia.net), November 02, 2000.


Response to Libertarian Release:Police arrest more people for marijuana than murder, rape, and robbery combined

Shoot, just caught this one. Sorry Capn, had I of *read* this before I voted, well, um, ya know, I would have given it up for Nader.

Uncle Deedah: I couldnt agree more, what a disgrace.

With pot, at least you remember *what* ya did the morning after a far cry from an alcoholic blackout in which a person could actually kill someone and never remember it.

As for the hard stuff, what could be more harder than a blackout?

-- legalize the shit already (shh@aol.com), November 08, 2000.


Moderation questions? read the FAQ