The 5 Worst States to Get Busted With Pot

AlterNet / By Paul Armentano

The 5 Worst States to Get Busted With Pot
Even a minor pot bust can be life-altering for people unlucky enough to be arrested in one of these five states.

May 13, 2011 |


Police prosecute over 800,000 Americans annually for violating state marijuana laws. The penalties for those busted and convicted vary greatly, ranging from the imposition of small fines to license revocation to potential incarceration. But for the citizens arrested in these five states, the ramifications of even a minor pot bust are likely to be exceptionally severe.

1. Oklahoma. Lawmakers in the Sooner State made headlines this spring when legislators voted 119 to 20 in favor of House Bill 1798, which enhances the state sentencing guidelines for hash manufacturing to a minimum of two years in jail and a maximum penalty of life in prison. (Mary Fallin, the state’s first-ever female governor, signed the measure into law in April; it takes effect on November 1, 2011.) But longtime Oklahoma observers were hardly surprised at lawmakers’ latest "life for pot" plan. After all, state law already allows judges to hand out life sentences for those convicted of cannabis cultivation or for the sale of a single dime-bag.

Patricia Marilyn Spottedcow, 25, learned the truth about Oklahoma’s excessive pot penalties the hard way in February when a judge sentenced the mother of four to 30 years in prison for her role in the sale of $39 worth of herb to an undercover informant. Spottedcow’s sentence sparked national media attention – and public outrage – but neither result has led the judge in the case to reconsider the terms of her confinement.

.....(snip).....

2. Texas. On an annual basis, no state arrests and criminally prosecutes more of its citizens for pot than does Texas. Marijuana arrests comprise over half of all annual arrests in the Lone Star State. It is easy to see why. In 2009, more than 97 percent of all Texas marijuana arrests — over 77,000 people — were for possession only. Those convicted face up to 180 days in jail and a $2,000 fine, even upon a first conviction. .............(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.alternet.org/drugs/150935/the_5_worst_states_to_get_busted_with_pot/

:grr:

is not just limited to pot possession. There are many more categories that they excel at.

Is there a relationship between pot prosecution fervor and privately run for-profit prisons?

Let the State pay the bills for the hard-core felons, while the private prisons get the cream of the crop for their industrial ventures.

In the county where I live the juvenile and adult probation offices are thriving. They don't want to put you in jail. Put 'em on probation and then bleed 'em dry with fines. Free money for the county. For them legal pot would be a nightmare.

WHY GOD WHYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY????? :cry:

I had originally planned to move to southern Louisiana but Hurricane Katrina changed my mind about that, instead of buying a house we headed north as the storm headed for shore. Settled on our seconds choice, a small town in Texas. We decided to stay at a Holiday Inn while we looked at properties.

The police stopped by to chat and check us out. The "chat" was -- and I am not making this shit up -- because he wanted to know if we had seen any Armadillos around. I told him no. He advised me not to, again not making this up, not to KICK any if I did see one. I had to ask why, and he explained that they were armored and apparentlty sharp and I could really cut myself. I thanked him.

Couple days later I had a headlight go out. No big deal right? I figured I would get in fixed in the next couple days when I got around to it. I was pulled over that evening.

The cops here really REALLY want something to bust you for. Tickets of any kind are big business, and it shows. Speed traps everywhere. There is no way they would let a good bust like weed slide.

I have to ask the question to those strong promoters of criminalizing the American People over cannabis, what the hell are they smoking!?:shrug:

It must be some wicked shit.

Thanks for the thread, marmar.

Man, the cops in that state are Nazis!

I sat in on a municipal court session a few weeks ago. 2 first-time offenders with otherwise spotless records were given the choice of prison time, or pay hundreds of dollars in fines.

REC.

prison industry complex=Evil

the NW portion of the country w/ the exception of Idaho medical marijuana is legal at the state level. So depending in which corner of the country you live you can have safe access to an efficacious cheap treatment for a wide range of ailments from the side effects of cancer treatments to migraines to depression.

"Most privately run facilities are located in the southern and western portions of the United States and include both state and federal offenders."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Private_prison#Private_prisons_in_the_United_States_today